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LIBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 

PRINCETON.     N.    J. 


Presented  by 


The.  Widow  of  GeongfeTSw^an,    ^& 

BV  1560  .P46  1892 
Pentecost,  Geo.  F.  1842- 

1920. 
Bible  studies  from  the  Old 

and  New  Testaments 


BY  THE  SAME  AUTHOR. 

— ••o$o»- — 

IN  THE  VOLUME  OF  THE  BOOK;  or,  The 
Profit  and  Pleasure  of  Bible  Study,  with 
introductions  by  Revs.  Joseph  Cook  and 
J.  H.  Vincent,  D.D. 

OUT  OF  EGYPT  ;  Bible  Readings  on  the  Book 
of  Exodus. 

A  SOUTH  WINDOW;  or,  Keep  Yourselves  in 
the  Love  of  God. 

Each  12mo.— Cloth,  75  cents;  Paper 
Covers,  35  cents. 

BIBLE  STUDIES;  covering  the  International 
S.  S.  Lessons  for  1888,  1889,  1890,  and  1891. 

Each  12mo.  —  Cloth,    $1.00  ;    Paper 
Covers,  CO  cents. 

***  For  Sale  by  Booksellers,  or  sent  post- 
paid on  receipt  of  price  by  the  publishers. 

A.   S.   BARNES   &   CO., 

731    Broadway, 

NEW    YORK. 


/*<? 


Bible  Studies 


FROM    THE 


OLD  AND  NEW  TESTAMENTS 


COVERING    THE 


INTERNATIONAL 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL  LESSONS  FOR  1892 


BY 

GEO,     F.     PENTECOST,     D.D. 

AUTHOR  OF  "  IN  THE  VOLUME  OF  THE  BOOK," 
"  OUT  OF  EGYPT,"  ETC. 


COPVRIGHT,   1S91 

A.     S.     BARNKS     cS:     COMPANY 

751  BROADWAY,  KEW  YORK. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


BIBLE  STUDIES   for  1888  are  taken  from  the  following 
books  : 

fffattljem,  (Exobns,  £etnticns,  Numbers,  HJeu- 
teronomn,  JJosljna,  Jnbgcs,  anb  fhub,. 

BIBLE   STUDIES   for  1889  are  taken  from 

k,  1.  anb  11.  Samuel,  anb  1.  $iings. 


BIBLE   STUDIES   for  1890  are  taken  entirely  from  the 
book  of 

Cuke 

BIBLE   STUDIES   for  1891  are  taken  from 

Joljn,  1.  anb  11.  Kings,  3onal),&mos,  Qosea, 
anb  11.  (JTI)ronicles. 


PUBLISHERS'    NOTE. 

The  Publishers  take  pleasure  in  presenting  the  fifth  volume  of 
Dr.  Pentecost's  "BIBLE  STUDIES."  They  wish  to  announce  that 
they  expect  to  continue  publishing  them  from  year  to  year.  Volumes 
for  previous  years  always  on  hand. 


PREFACE. 


This  volume  of  Bible  Studies  has  been  written  in  India,  in  the 
midst  of  incessant  evangelistic  labors.  Partly  in  Calcutta,  partly  in 
the  "Heart  of  the  Himalayas";  partly  on  the  burning  plains  of  the 
North-west  provinces,  in  the  Holy  City  of  Benares,  where  Hinduism 
is  entrenched  in  the  midst  of  a  people  and  a  priesthood  who  have 
lived,  taught,  and  practiced  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  this  u  world- 
old  religion  "  for  more  than  three  thousands  of  years  ;  partly  in  Luck- 
now,  the  beautiful  city  of  the  late  Kings  of  Oudh ;  partly  in  Agra, 
the  famous  city  of  Akbar  the  Great  and  Shah  Jahan  ;  partly  in  Delhi, 
the  romantic  and  picturesque  capital  of  the  Great  Moguls.  Its  last 
chapters  were  finished  and  this  preface  is  now  being  written  amid 
the  beautiful  Himalayan  Hills,  in  the  bosom  of  which  nestles  the  fair 
summer  capital  of  India,  under  the  rule  of  Great  Britain. 

The  author  has  had  few  books  of  reference  to  consult,  and  has 
been  compelled  to  write  during  such  fragments  of  time  as  he  could 
snatch  between  two  and  three  evangelistic  meetings  a  day,  sometimes 
among  natives  and  sometimes  among  European  audiences.  He  has 
enjoyed  one  advantage,  however.  The  Old  Testament  has  had  a 
fresh  illumination  in  his  mind  by  reason  of  the  Oriental  scenes  and 
customs  which  have  been  the  familiar  every-day  sights  of  this  year. 
The  temples,  the  groves,  the  gardens,  the  dress  and  the  manner  of 
the  people  out  here  are  essentially  the  same  as  they  were  in  the  days 
of  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah.  There  are  temples  on  every  hill-top  and  in 
every  grove.  Baal-worship,  under  other  names  and  forms,  is  the  same ; 
the  sins  and  practices  of  the  people  are  the  same  as  those  into  which 
the  corrupt  kings  and  people  of  Israel  had  fallen  at  the  time  that  these 
apostles  and  preachers  tenderly  besought  them  to  return  to  the  Lord. 
The  scenery  which  afforded  them  their  finest  imagery  is  the  same 
and  the  familiar  every-day  customs  of  the  people  are  the  same.  Here 
are  the  ancient  threshing-floors,  here  the  same  kind  of  wells,  and  the 
women  with  their  water-pots,  and  the  wheels ;  here  the  two  women 
are  still   grinding  at  the  wheel ;  here  the  same  old-fashioned  one- 


iv  PREFACE. 

handled  plow ;  and  here  continues  the  conflict  between  the  true  wor- 
ship of  Jehovah  and  that  of  the  gods  of  the  pagans.  Here,  also,  in 
this  last  respect,  are  the  same  problems  and  difficulties  (only  greater) 
which  confronted  the  apostles  and  early  disciples  in  their  first  essays 
at  converting  the  heathen  of  the  old  Roman  world.  Here,  the  subtle 
and  finely  trained  Oriental  mind ;  here,  the  superstitions ;  here,  the 
occasional  riots  and  disturbances  brought  about  by  assaults  upon 
the  missionaries  by  "lewd  fellows  of  the  baser  sort,"  egged  on  by 
the  priests  and  religious  leaders,  who  keep  out  of  sight,  and  who  are 
trembling  for  their  gods  and  other  "  craft."  It  is  all  very  vivid.  It 
has  been  impossible  to  resist  the  conviction  that  the  historical  records 
of  the  Bible  are  true  to  life,  both  in  its  social,  religious,  and  domestic 
aspects.  It  has  been  difficult  to  keep  to  the  point  of  exposition  from 
a  teacher's  standpoint  and  not  go  off  into  historical  and  illustrative 
commentary. 

If  this  volume  lacks  the  savor  of  the  library,  the  author  trusts  that 
it  will  not  be  found  deficient  in  the  spirit  of  truth  and  light  which 
certainly  has  been  much  present  in  his  mind  and  heart.  He  sends  it 
forth  (the  fifth  in  the  series)  with  the  prayer  that  it  may  prove  both 
a  help  and  a  blessing  to  his  readers,  as  the  preparation  of  it  has  been 
to  him. 

In  the  preface  to  the  last  volume  the  author  ventured  to  ask  the 
prayers  of  his  readers  for  the  presence  and  blessing  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  upon  his  evangelistic  labors  in  this  land,  then  in  prospect.  He 
would  repeat  that  request,  now  that  he  is  in  the  land  preaching  and 
teaching  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  both  to  nominal  Christians  and  heathen. 

Note. — Teachers  will  note  that  the  Twelfth  Study  in  this  volume 
entitled :  "The  Blessings  of  the  Gospel,"  is  based  on  Isaiah  xxxv,  1- 
10,  instead  of  Isaiah  xl,  1-10,  as  in  the  regular  scheme  of  the  Inter- 
national Sunday-school  lessons.  This  discrepancy  occurred  owing  to 
a  substitution,  by  the  International  Committee,  of  the  latter  passage 
of  Scripture  for  the  former,  after  the  Study  had  been  written.  The 
change  will  not  materially  affect  the  continuity  of  study,  as  the  topic 
is   the  same. 

Simla.  Himalayan  Mountains,  India,  July  let,  1891. 


CONTENTS 


LESSONS     AND     GOLDEN     TEXTS. 
First  Quarter. 

LESSON  FAQS 

I.— Jan.  3.— The  Kingdom  of  Christ.     Isa.  xi,  1-10.         .     .       1 
Golden  Text:    He  shall  have  dominion  bJbo  from  sea    to  sea, 
and  from  the  river  unto  the  ends  of  the  ear.h.— Psa.  lxxii,  8. 

II.— Jan.  10.— A  Sone:  of  Salvation.     Isa.  xxvi,  1-10.     ...     9 
Golden  Text-  Trust  ye  in   the    Lord  foiever:  for  in  the  Lord 
Jehovah  is  everlasting  ^rsn^th.-  Isa  xxvi,  4. 

III.— Jan.  17.— Overcome  with  Wine.    Isa.  xxviii,  1-15.    (The 

Quarterly  Temperance  Lesson.) 18 

Golden  Text:  Wtc  is  a   mocker,  s'rong  drink  is  raging:  and 
whosoever  is  deceived  th  reby  is  not  wise.— Pro  v.  xx,  1. 

IV.— Jan.  24.— Hezekiah's    Prayer   and    Deliverance.     Isa. 

xxxvii,  14-21,33-38 27 

Golden  Text  :    The  righteana   cry,   and  the  Lord  heareth  and 
delivercih  them. — Psa.  xxxiv,  IT. 

V.— Jan.  31.— The  Suffering  Saviour.     Isa.  liii.  1-12.      .     .     35 
Golden  Text:  The  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  thy  iniquity  of  us  all  — 
Isa.  liii,  G. 

VI.— Feb.  7.— The  Gracious  Call.     Isa.  lv,  1-13 43 

Golden  Text  :  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found,  call  ye 
upon  him  while  he  is  near.— Isa.  lv,  G. 

VII.— Feb.  14.— The   New  Covenant.     Jot.  xxxi.  27-37.     .     .     52 
Golden  Text  :  I  will   forgive  their  iniquity,  and  I  will  remember 
their  sin  no  more.— Jer.  xxxi,  34. 

VIII.— Feb.  21.— Jehoiakim's  Wickedness.     Jer.  xxxvi.  19-31.    61 

Golden  Text  :  To  day  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your 
hearts.— Heb.  iii,  15. 

IX.— Feb.  28.— Jeremiah  Persecuted.    Jer.  xxxvii,  11-21.  .     .     G9 
Golden  Text:  I  am  with  thee,  Faith  the  Lord,  to  deliver  thee.— 
Jer.  i,  19. 

X.— March  6.— The  Downfall  of  Judah.   Jer.  xxxix.  1-10.   .     77 
Golden  Text  :  Behold,  your  house  is  left  unto  you  desolate.— 
Matt,  xxiii,  88. 


•i  CONTENTS. 

LESSON  PAGE 

XI.— March    13. — Promise  of  a  New  Heart.    Ezok.  xxxvi, 

25-88 85 

Golden  Text  :  A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit 
wilJ  I  put  within  you.— Ezek.  xxxvi,  26. 

XII.— March  20.— Review 93 

XIII. — March  27. — The  Blessings  of  the  Gospel.    Isa.  xxxv, 

1-10.    {The  Quarterly  Missionary  Lesson.) 94 

Golden  Text  :  The  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all 
flesh  shall  see  it  together.-  Isa.  xl,  5. 


Second  Quarter. 

XIV.— April  3.— The  Way  of  the  Righteous.     Psa.  i,   1-G.  102 
Golden  Text  :  Blessed  is  the  man  that  walketh  not  in  the  coun- 
sel of  ihe  ungodly,  nor  standeth  in  the  way  of  sinners,  nor  sitteth  in 
the  seat  of  the  scornful.— Psa.  i,  1. 

XV.— April  10.— The  King  in  Zion.     Psa.  ii,  1-12.     ,     .     .110 
Golden  Text  :  Blessed  are  all  they  that  put  their  trust  in  him.— 
P^a.  ii,  12. 

XVI.— April   17.— God's  Works  and  Word.     Psa.  xix,  1-14.  119 
Golden  Text  :  The  law  of  the  Lord  is  p°rfect.  converting  the 
soul.— Psa  xix,  7;  Or,  Easter  Lesson    (Optional.)  Matt,  xxviii,  1-20. 
Golden    Text:    Now  is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead.  —  I.  Cor. 
xv,  20. 

XVII.— April  24.— The  Lord  My  Shepherd.     Psa.  xxiii,  1-6.  127 
Golden  Text  :  The  Lord  is  my  shepherd,  I  shall  not  want.— 
Psa.  xxiii,  1. 

XVIII.— May    1.— The  Prayer  of  the  Penitent.     Psa.  Ii,  1-13.  135 
Golden  Text  :  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God;  and  renew  a 
right  spirit  within  me.— Psa.  Ii,  10. 

XIX.— May  8.— Delight  in  God's  House.     Psa.    lxxxiv,  1-12.  144 
Golden  Text  :  Blessed  are  they  that  dwell   in  thy  house.— Psa. 
lxxxiv,  4. 

XX.— May  15.— A  Song  of  Praise.     Psa.  ciii,  1-22,   .     .     .  152 
Golden  Text:  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  forget  not  all  his 
benefits.— Psa.  ciii,  2. 

XXT. — May    22. — Daniel    and    His    Companions.      Dan.    i, 

8-21.     (The  Quarterly  Temperance   Lesson.)        .     .     .160 

Golden  Text:  Daniel  purposed  in  his  heart  that  he  would  not 
defile  himself  with  the  portion  of  the  king's  meat,  nor  with  the 
wine  which  he  drank.— Dan.  i,  8. 

XXIL— May  29.— Nebuchadnezzar's  Dream.     Dan.  ii,  36-49.  .   169 
Golden  Text  :  All  things  are  naked  and  opened  unto  the  eyes 
of  him  with  whom  we  have  to  do.— Heb.  iv,  13. 

XXIII.— June  5.— The  Fiery  Furnace.     Dan.  iii.  13-25.      .     .178 
Golden  Text:  When  thou  walkest  through  the  fire,  thou  shalt 
not  be  burned  ;  neither  shall   the  flame  kindle  upon  thee.— Isa. 
xliii,  2. 


CONTEXTS.  vii 

LESSON  PAGE 

XXIV.— June  12.— The  Den  of  Lions.     Dan.  vi,  16-28.     .     .   180 

Golden  Text:  No  manner  of  hurt  was  found  upon  him.  because 
he  believed  in  his  God. — Dan.  vi,  23. 

XXV.— June   19.— Review 11)5 

XXVI.— June  20.— Messiah's  Reign.     Psa.  Ixxii,  1-19.     {The 

Quarterly  Missionary  Lesson.) 190 

Golden  Text:  All  kings  shall  fall  down  before  him:  all  nations 
shall  serve  him. — Psa.  Ixxii,  11. 


Third  Quarter. 

XXVII.— July   3.— The  Ascension  of  Christ.      .Vets  i,  1-12.  201 

Golden  Text:  When  he  had  spoken  these  things,  while  they 
beheld,  he  was  taken  up  ;  and  a  cloud  received  him  out  of  their 
sight.— Acts  i,  9. 

XXVIII.— July  10.— The  Descent  of  the  Spirit.     Acts  ii.  1-12.  213 

Golden  Text:  When  he,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  come,  he  will 
guide  you  into  all  trutb.— John  xvi,  13. 

XXIX.— July  IT.— The    First    Christian   Church.     Acts   ii. 

37-4? 221 

Golden  Text:    The  Lord  added  to  the  ChurJi  daily  such  as 

should  be  saved. — Acts  ii,  47. 

XXX.— July    24.— The  Lame  Man  Healed.     Acts  iii.  1-10.  229 
Golden  Text:  And  his  name,  through  faith  in  his  name,  hath 
made  this  man  strong.— Acts  iii,  1(5. 

XXXI. — July  81. — Peter  and  John  Before  the  Council.    Acts 

iv,   1-18 238 

Golden  Text  :  There  is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given 
among  men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved.— Acts  iv,  12. 

XXXII.— Aug.  7.— The  Apostles'  Confidence  in  God.      Acts 

iv.  19-31 346 

Golden  Text  :  They  spake  the  word  of  God  with  boldness.— 
Acts  iv,  31. 

XXXIII. — Aug.  14. — Ananias  and  Sapphira.     Acts  v,  1-11.     .  205 
Golden  Text  :  Be  not  deceived;  God  is  not  mocked  :  for  what- 
soever a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap.— Gal.  vi,  7. 

XXXIV.— Aug.  21.— The  Apostles  Persecuted.      Acts  v,  25- 

41 203 

Golden  Text:  We  ought  to  obev  God  rather  than  men.— 
Acts  v,  -J.L 

XXXV.— Aug.   28.— The  First   Christian   Martyr.      Acts  vii. 

54-00;  viii,  1-4 272 

Golden  Text:  He  kneeWl  down  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their  charge.— Acts  vii.  60. 


viii  CONTENTS. 

LESSON  PAGE 

XXXVI.— Sept.  4.— Philip  Preaching  at  Samaria.     x\.cts  viii, 

5-25.     (The  Quarterly  Missionary  Lesson.)  ....  280 

Golden  Text  :  And  there  was  great  joy  in  that  city.— Acts 
viii,  8. 

XXXVII.— Sept.  11. —Philip  and  the  Ethiopian.   Acts  viii,  26-40.  289 

Golden  Text  :  He  that  helieveth  on  the  Son  hath  everlast- 
ing life.— John  iii,  35. 

XXXVIII.— Sept.  18.— Review 298 

XXXIX.— Sept.  25.— The  Lord's  Supper  Profaned.     I.  Cor. 

xi,  20-34.     (The  Quarterly  Temperance  Lesson.)    .     .  299 

Golden  Text  :  Let  a  man  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him 
eat  of  that  bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup.— I.  Cor.  xi,  23. 


Fourth  Quarter. 

XL.— Oct.  2.— Saul  of  Tarsus  Converted.     Acts  ix,  1-20.  308 

Golden  Text  :  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see 
the  kingdom  of  God.— John  iii,  3. 

XLI.— Oct.  9.— Dorcas  Raised  to  Life.     Acts  ix,  32-43.  .  317 
Golden  Text  :    This  woman  was  full  of  good  works  and 
alms-deeds  which  she  did.— Acts  ix,  36. 

XLII.— Oct.  16.— Peter's  Vision.     Acts  x,  1-20 326 

Golden  Text:  Of  a  truth  I  perceive  that  God  is  no  respecter 
of  persons.— Acts  x,  34. 

XLIII.— Oct.  23.— Feter  at  Caesarea.     Acts  x,  30-48.  .     .     .335 
Golden  Text:    Through  his  name  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  shall  receive  remission  of  sins.— Acts  x,  4?. 

XLIV.— Oct.  30.— The  Gospel  Preached  at  Antioch.     Acts 

xi,  19-30 344 

Golden  Text:  A  great  number  believed,  and  turned  unto 
the  Lord.— Acts  xi,  21. 

XLV. — Nov.  6. — Peter   Delivered  from  Prison.     Acts  xii, 

1-17 353 

Golden  Text  :  The  angel  of  the  Lord  encampeth  about  them 
that  fear  him,  and  delivereth  them.— Psa.  xxxiv,  7. 

XLVI.— Nov.  13.— The  First  Christian  Missionaries.    Acts 

xiii,  1-13 363 

Golden  Text  :  That  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  should 
be  preached  in  his  name  among  all  nations  —Luke  xxiv,  47. 

XL VII.— Nov.  20.— Paul's  First  Missionary  Sermon.    Acts 

xiii.  26-43 372 

Golden  Text:  To  you  is  the  word  of  this  salvation  sent.— 
Acts  xiii.  2G. 


CONTENTS.  iv 

LESSON  PAGF 

XLVIII.— Nov.  2?.— The  Apostles  Turning  to  the  Gentiles. 

Acts  xiii,  44— ~>2 ;  xiv,  1-7 381 

Golden  Text:  I  have  sent  thee  to  be  a  light  of  the  Gentiles. 
—Acts  xiii,  47. 

XLIX.— Dec.  4.— Work  Among  the    Gentiles.      Acts  xiv, 

8-22 .389 

Golden  Text:  In  his  name  shall  the  Gentiles  trust.— Matt, 
xii,  21. 

L.— Dec  11.— The  Apostolic  Council.     Acts  xv,  12-29.  398 
Golden  Text  :  Through  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
we  shall  be  saved,  even  as  they.—  Acts  xv,  11. 

LI.— Dec  18.— Review 407 

LII.— Dec    25.— Optional    Lessons.— 1.     The    Birth   of 

Christ ;  A  Christmas  Lesson.     Luke  ii,  8-20.    .     .     .408 

Golden  Text  :  Behold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy. 
—Luke  ii,  10. 

2.  The  Quarterly  Temperance  Lesson.      Rom. 
xiv,  12-23 417 

Golden  Text  :  We  then  that  are  strong  ought  to  bear  the  in- 
firmities of  the  weak.— Rom.  xv,  1. 


INTRODUCTORY. 


.  No  other  prophet  among  God's  ancient  people  compares  with 
Isaiah  for  magnificence  of  style,  majesty  of  composition,  and  com- 
prehension of  subject.  Though  we  are  in  practical  ignorance  as  to 
who  he  was,  except  that  he  was  the  son  of  Amoz,  and  that  he  lived 
and  prophesied  during  the  four  reigns  of  Uzziah,  Jotham,  Ahaz,  and 
Hezekiah,  kings  of  Judah  and  Jerusalem,  we  are  sure  from  the 
incidental  biography  contained  in  his  writings  that  he  was  a  man 
of  exalted  character  both  for  spirituality  and  righteousness,  that  he 
was  a  loyal  patriot,  and  at  the  same  time  a  faithful  servant  of  God, 
who,  while  passionately  loving  his  people,  did  not  overlook  their 
faults  nor  spare  to  denounce  their  sins  and  declare  the  judgments 
of  God  against  them.  He  was  at  once  the  companion  and  yet  not 
the  sycophant  of  kings,  as  may  be  seen  by  his  faithful  and  unspar- 
ing rebuke  of  Hezekiah,  which  reminds  us  much  of  Nathan's  faith- 
fulness with  David.  His  point  of  view  was  that  of  an  intense 
patriot  and  faithful  servant  of  Jehovah,  and  his  point  of  sight  that 
of  the  final  restoration  of  Judea  and  Israel  to  a  true  spirituality  and 
the  ultimate  triumph  of  Messiah's  kingdom  in  the  world.  In  the 
meantime  he  foresaw  the  captivity  and  subsequent  dispersion  of  his 
people,  and  knew  its  reason.  While  he  pronounced  the  judgments 
of  God  against  them,  he  never  failed  to  speak  words  of  promise  and 
consolation  to  them.  His  whole  prophecy  may  be  likened  to  a 
range  of  mountains  broken  by  deep  valleys,  which  occasionally 
spread  out  into  wide  expanses  of  undulating  plain.  The  mountain 
range  is  the  history  of  Judea  and  Israel,  the  occasional  great  peaks 
are  the  Messianic  prophecies,  and  the  uplands  toward  which  all  his 
writings  lead,  are  the  final  heights  of  Millennial  glory  wdiieh  await 
the  people  of  God,  Jew  and  Gentile  together.  The  final  exaltation 
of  the  ancient  people  in  connection  with  the  glorious  reign  of  Mes- 
siah almost  entirely  filled  his  prophetic  vision,  and  yet  he  does  not 
fail  to  notice  the  intervening  fact  of  that  Messiah's  humiliation ;  the 
climax  of  such  foresight  being  reached  in  the  wonderful  fifty-third 
chapter.     It  has  been  remarked  how  little  and  yet  how  much  of 


xii  INTRODUCTORY. 

Messianic  prophecy  there  is  in  Isaiah.  Though,  in  proportion  to 
the  whole  matter  of  the  writings,  the  allusions  to  the  first  advent  of 
Messiah  are  few,  yet  whenever  ho  does  directly  set  the  suffering 
Saviour  forth,  it  is  done  so  with  such  luminous  grandeur,  that  there 
can  be  no  mistake  as  to  his  meaning.  Isaiah  lived  about  700  years 
before  Christ.  He  probably  spent  seventy  years  in  public  life,  liv- 
ing altogether  not  much  less  than  a  hundred  years.  There  is  a 
tradition  that  under  Manasseh  he  was  placed  between  two  planks 
and  "sawn  asunder"  (Heb.  xi7  37),  thus  sealing  prophetic  ministry 
with  martyr  blood. 

Much  critical  interest  has  been  manifested  during  this  century 
in  the  book  that  bears  our  prophet's  name.  Both  its  genuineness 
and  authenticity  have  been  strenuously  denied,  at  least  as  to  a  great 
part  of  the  prophecies ;  but  it  is  quite  fair  to  say  that  adverse  criti- 
cism has  not  succeeded  in  showing  that  this  great  volume  was  not 
the  work  of  Isaiah  in  every  part,  though  undoubtedly  demonstrating 
that  it  is  not  a  continuous  prophecy.  It  is  almost  certainly  a  com- 
pilation of  a  number  of  different  prophetic  writings,  written  at 
different  times,  of  greater  and  lesser  intervals,  toward  the  close  of 
the  author's  life,  finally  gathered  together,  according  to  some  plan 
of  the  compiler,  and  compacted  into  one  volume.  It  is  by  no  means 
sure  that  Isaiah  was  not  the  editor  of  his  own  various  works.  These 
questions,  however,  do  not  fall  within  the  scope  of  our  studies,  and 
I  only  mention  them  that  the  reader  may  know  that  I  do  not  ignore 
them,  and  that  in  writing  these  studies  I  shall  keep  them  constantly 
in  mind,  even  though  the  presence  of  the  critic  docs  not  often 
appear  on  my  page. 

The  period  in  the  history  of  Judah  and  Israel  was  peculiar  and 
critical.  For  the  first  time  the  Theocratic  nation  was  brought  into 
real  contact  with  the  great  world-powers.  Hitherto  Icrael  had  only 
had  to  do  with  minor  and  inferior  nations  lying  close  against  their 
borders  ;  now  we  see  Judah  struggling  with  the  Syrian,  the  Assyrian, 
the  Egyptian,  and  finally  with  the  great  Babylonian  power,  which 
had  recently  attained  great  empire,  and  under  whose  hand  she  lat- 
terly succumbed.  In  the  providence  of  Jehovah,  this  was  overruled 
to  spread  the  testimony  of  the  true  God  among  the  nations  of  the 
earth  and  prepare  the  world  for  the  coming  of  the  long-promised 
Messiah.  We  shall  not  follow  in  detail  the  course  of  this  history, 
but  endeavor  to  make  the  most  practical  use  of  the  selected  lessons 
lying  before  us  in  its  great  volume. 


January  3,  1892. 


THE    KINGDOM     OF    CHRIST.— Isaiah    xi,    1-10. 

(1)  And  there  shall  come  forth  a  rod  out  of  the  stem  of  Jesse,  and  a  Branch 
shall  grow  out  of  his  roots  :  (2)  And  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  rest  upon  him, 
the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding,  the  spirit  of  counsel  and  might,  the 
spirit  of  knowledge  and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord  ;  (3)  And  shall  make  him  of 
quick  understanding  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord :  and  he  shall  not  judge  after  the 
eight  of  his  eyes,  neither  reprove  after  the  hearing  of  his  ears :  (4)  Eut  with 
righteousness  shall  he  judge  the  poor,  and  reprove  with  equity  for  the  meek  of 
the  earth  :  and  he  shall  smite  the  earth  with  the  rod  of  his  mouth,  and  with  the 
breath  of  his  lips  shall  he  slay  the  wicked.  (5)  And  righteousness  shall  be  the 
girdle  of  his  loins,  and  faithfulness  the  girdle  of  his  reins.  (6)  The  wolf  also 
shall  dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the  leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the  kid ;  and  the 
calf  and  the  young  lion  and  the  fatling  together ;  and  a  little  child  shall  lead 
them.  (7)  And  the  cow  and  the  bear  shall  feed ;  their  young  ones  shall  lie 
down  together :  and  the  lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  ox.  (8)  And  the  sucking 
child  shall  play  on  the  hole  of  the  asp,  and  the  weaned  child  shall  put  his  hand  on 
the  cockatrice1  den.  (9)  They  shall  not  hurt  nor  destroy  in  all  my  holy  mountain  : 
for  the  earth  shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the 
sea.  (10)  And  in  that  day  there  shall  be  a  root  of  Jesse,  which  shall  stand  for  an 
ensign  of  the  people  ;  to  it  shall  the  Gentiles  seek ;  and  his  rest  shall  be  glorious. 
—Isaiah  xi,  1-10. 

In  the  four  Gospels  we  get  a  view  of  Christ  from  four  different 
standpoints.  Isaiah  presents  us  with  prophetic  views  of  Christ  by- 
much  the  same  process.  The  several  vivid  pictures  which  illumi- 
nate his  pages  are  of  the  Messiah  viewed  in  this  way.  We  have  not 
here  the  Four-named  Hero  of  the  ninth,  nor  the  Divine  Sufferer  of 
the  fifty-third  chapter,  but  the  Spirit-anointed  and  God-breathing 
King,  ruling  the  world  with  righteousness  and  bringing  in  the  new 
creation,  which  shows  the  earth  redeemed  as  well  as  man.  The 
king  set  forth  in  this  prophecy  is  a  much  more  spiritual  conception 
than  that  of  the  ninth  chapter,  and  as  we  go  further  on  in  Isaiah  we 
observe  a  steady  advance  in  the  spiritual  character  of  the  Messiah 
depicted  on  his  pages.  The  opening  of  this  particular  vision  is 
highly  artistic.  In  the  former  chapters  we  have  seen  a  storm  of 
war  and  desolation  sweeping  over  Israel  and  Judah.  The  Assyrians 
had  cut  down  the  ancient  kingdom  until  but  a  stump  was  left ;  then 
Assyria  herself  is  cut  off  in  wrath  by  the  Almighty,  until  she  also  is 
in  no  better  plight.     But  there  is  this  difference :     Assyria  passes 


2  THE   KINGDOM   OF   CHRIST. 

away  forever.  No  shoot  springs  up  from  the  roots  of  her  dead 
stump ;  while  from  the  apparently  dried-up  root  of  the  stem  of  Jesse 
there  bursts  forth  a  young  shoot,  which  finally  grows  into  a  strong 
and  beautiful  Branch,  more  mighty  and  more  beautiful  than  the 
original  tree  from  whose  stump  it  sprang.  Then  we  are  led  on  to 
a  view  of  the  final  doom  of  the  world-powers  and  the  ultimate 
triumph  of  Messiah's  kingdom.  Nothing  in  the  Bible  is  more  inspir- 
ing than  the  consistency  with  which  holy  men  of  old  saw  and 
prophesied  of  this  final  victory  of  Jehovah  in  righteousness  over  the 
rule  of  the  world-powers.  So  much  of  these  prophecies  have  been 
fulfilled  that  we  should  not  for  a  moment  waver  in  our  faith,  look- 
ing for  the  triumphant  consummation  of  the  rest. 

I.— THE  ROOT  OUT  OF  DRY  GROUND. 

In  the  fifty-third  chapter  of  Isaiah  we  have  a  similar  description 
of  the  origin  of  Christ,  from  which  we  have  designated  him  in  this 
study.  There  he  is  described  "as  a  tender  plant,  and  as  a  root  out 
of  a  dry  ground."  Here  he  is  a  sprout  from  the  bare  and  blasted 
stem  of  Jesse ;  cut  down  as  that  tree  had  been,  and  to  all  appear- 
ance dead  for  centuries,  it  suddenly  puts  forth  this  young  and  green 
sapling. 

1. — The  Stem  of  Jesse. — This  assignment  of  the  King  to  the  stem 
of  Jesse,  rather  than  to  that  of  David,  whose  son  Christ  is  every- 
where declared  to  be,  is  suggestive  of  the  fact  that,  when  Christ 
came,  the  house  of  David  had  sunk  again  into  obscurity  such  as 
characterized  it  when  he  himself  was  called,  a  shepherd  lad,  from  an 
humble  family  of  a  poor  country  district.  When  Christ  came  into 
the  world,  he  was  indeed  the  Son  of  David,  but  like  David,  he 
came  forth  from  obscurity  and  poverty,  appearing  to  his  nation,  as 
David  appeared  to  his,  at  the  time  of  its  deepest  and  sorest  need. 
In  the  history  of  the  world,  no  earthly  family  ever  suffered  so  long 
an  eclipse  as  that  of  David,  to  be  revived  by  the  birth  of  a  great  son 
like  Jesus.  So  no  empire  or  kingdom  of  this  world  ever  suffered  so 
complete  an  overthrow  as  that  of  God's  ancient  people,  to  be  once 
more  settled  and  established.  For  two  thousand  years  the  Jewish 
nation  has  been  extinct,  but  God  has  marvelously  kept  the  Jewish 
people  intact,  for  he  intends  to  restore  them  again  to  their  land  and 
re-establish  their  kingdom  on  the  throne  of  their  father  David  in  the 
person  of  David's  Royal  Son,  our  Saviour  and  Lord.  On  no  other 
hypothesis  can  be  based  the  miraculous  preservation  of  the  Jews 
from  extinction  during  all  these  ages.     (Matt,  xxiv,  34.) 


THE   SPIRITUAL   ANOINTING.  3 

2. — The  Rod  out  of  the  Stem. — We  have  here  an  illustration  of 
the  prophet's  manner  of  using  double  figures  of  speech  without 
repetition  of  ideas.  This  "rod,"  or  young  shoot,  sprung  out  of  the 
old  and  blasted  stem  of  Jesse,  is  very  suggestive  both  of  the  youth 
of  Jesus  and  the  ministry  of  his  first  advent.  We  see  him  first  a 
little  babe  in  Bethlehem,  just  peeping  his  head,  as  it  were,  out  of 
the  side  of  the  old  lifeless  stem,  close  down  to  the  ground.  How 
lowly  was  his  birth !  Then  we  see  him  a  vigorous  shoot,  as  lie 
appeared  a  boy  at  twelve  in  the  temple  disputing  with  the  doctors. 
By  this  time  the  "green  sapling "  began  to  give  striking  evidence 
that,  though  he  sprang  from  an  old  and  worn-out  stem,  yet  there 
was  a  strong  stream  of  life  coursing  through  his  veins.  "And  Jesus 
increased  in  wisdom  and  stature,  and  in  favor  with  God  and  man." 
(Luke  ii,  52.)  Young  and  vigorous,  but  not  bearing  fruit.  So  also 
we  may  say  that  the  ministry  of  his  first  advent  in  antithesis  to  the 
glorious  reign  of  his  second,  was  as  the  comparison  of  a  shoot  to  a 
fruitful  branch.  There  was  a  strange  majesty  and  kingliness  about 
Jesus  during  his  humiliation,  but  the  fruit  of  a  kingly  branch  was 
not  yet  seen.  All  the  "power  and  potency"  of  his  kingdom  were 
in  him,  as  all  the  ' '  power  and  potency  "  of  the  fruit  is  in  the  young 
shoot  of  a  fruitful  vine,  while  yet  invisible. 

3. — The  Branch  out  of  the  roots. — Jesus  is  here  called  a  Branch, 
in  distinction  from  a  rod  or  shoot,  because  the  prophet  sees  him  in 
the  fullness  of  his  fruitfulness  as  a  King.  "That  which  is  at  first 
a  sapling  gains  strength  and  grows  into  a  branch."  (iv,  2.)  Jeremiah 
describes  his  advent  thus :  "Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord, 
that  I  will  raise  up  unto  David  a  righteous  Branch,  and  a  King  shall 
reign  and  prosper,  and  shall  execute  justice  and  judgment  on  the 
earth.  And  this  is  his  name  whereby  he  shall  be  called,  THE 
LORD  OUR  RIGHTEOUSNESS."  (Jer.  xxiii,  5,  6;  xxxiii,  16; 
Zech.  iii,  8  ;  vi,  12.)  It  will  be  noted  that  in  all  these  references  the 
Branch  is  represented  as  being  in  an  especial  manner  a  righteous 
ruler  and  strong  to  bring  in  a  reign  of  perfect  peace, — fit  fruit  for 
such  a  Branch. 

H.— THE  SPIRITUAL  ANOINTING. 

This  promised  King  is  no  ordinary  man,  though  it  is  supposed  by 
some  that  Isaiah  saw  in  this  description  of  a  king  the  young  and 
promising  Hezekiah.  Everything  in  the  prophecy,  however,  points 
to  the  promised  Messiah,  who  is  none  other  than  God  himself  man- 
ifest in  the  flesh.     Speaking  of  the  same  person  in  another  place 


4  THE   KINGDOM   OF   CHRIST. 

(xl,  9),  Isaiah  calls  upon  the  people  thus  :  "Behold  your  God."  This 
is  he  whom  we  recognize  in  John  i,  1-5,  14.  Though  he  was  "The 
Lord  our  Righteousness,"  yet,  being  also  a  man,  and  as  such  the 
servant  of  God  (My  Servant  the  Branch,"  Zech.  iii,  8),  he  had  need 
to  be  anointed  with  the  Holy  Ghost  for  his  divine  work.  Therefore 
"The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  rest  upon  him."  (Compare  Is.  lxi,  1  ; 
Matt,  iii,  16;  Luke  ii,  40;  iv,  1,  14,  18;  John  iii,  34,  etc.)  The 
Spirit  did  not  come  to  him  transiently  as  it  comes  to  men,  but 
rested  upon  him  permanently.  It  abode  with  him.  We  are  not 
concerned  to  answer  the  speculative  question  regarding  the  relation 
of  these  two  Divine  Persons  in  the  Godhead,  but  only  to  note  the 
fact  that  as  a  man  the  Spirit  of  God  was  present  with  him,  in  whose 
wisdom  and  power  he  does  all  his  work,  fulfilling  his  office  as  Mes- 
siah. The  presence  of  the  Spirit  here  is  manifested  in  various  gifts 
which  group  themselves  in  three  pairs,  and  then  in  one  great  char- 
acteristic. 

1. — The  gifts  of  the  Spirit. — To  men  the  Spirit  distributes  his 
gifts,  giving  to  one  man  one  gift  and  to  another,  another  (I.  Oor. 
xii,  8-11),  but  to  our  Lord  the  Spirit  bestows  all  the  range  of  gifts 
without  measure,  (i)  "The  spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding." 
By  "wisdom"  we  are  to  understand  ultimate  knowledge.  He  is  the 
Eternal  Word  or  Wisdom  of  God,  in  whose  presence  and  in  com- 
parison with  whom  the  wisdom  of  this  world  is  but  foolishness. 
(I.  Cor.  i,  20.)  By  "understanding"  is  meant  that  same  wisdom  in 
respect  to  particular  subjects.  We  might  say  of  a  thoroughly  edu- 
cated lawyer  who  had  been  preferred  to  the  bench,  that  he  was  wise 
or  learned  in  the  law,  and,  when  a  particular  case  came  before 
him  for  trial,  that  he  had  a  perfect  understanding,  not  only  of  that 
particular  case,  but  of  the  relation  of  the  law  thereto.  Or  we  might 
say  of  a  learned  physician,  that  he  was  wise  as  to  medicine  in  gen- 
eral, and  had  understanding  in  respect  to  particular  cases.  Such 
are  the  wisdom  and  understanding  of  our  Lord,  (ii)  "  The  spirit  of 
counsel  and  of  might."  That  is,  he  had  the  power  first  to  originate 
and  plan  the  wisest  course,  and  then  to  carry  his  devices  into  action 
and  on  to  success.  Some  generals  are  good  at  planning  battles, 
and  others  are  good  at  executing  the  plans ;  not  many  generals  are 
both  good  strategists  and  brilliant  fighters.  Jesus  was  both  wise  to 
originate  and  courageous  to  execute  his  counsels,  (iii)  "The  spirit 
of  knowledge  and  the  fear  of  the  Lord."  That  is,  Jesus  had  perfect 
knowledge  of  the  will  of  the  Father.  He  said  again  and  again  that 
the  words  he  spake  and  the  utterances  to  which  he  gave  expres- 
sion, were  not  the  results  of  mere  human  thinking,  but  the  absolute 


THE   SriPJTUAL  ANOINTING.  5 

knowledge  which  lie  had  with  the  Father.  "I  speak  to  the  world 
the  things  which  I  have  heard  of  him  (the  Father)";  "I  do  noth- 
ing of  myself,  "but  as  my  Father  hath  taught  me,  I  speak  these 
things  "  ;  "I  speak  that  which  I  have  seen  with  my  Father."  (John 
viii,  26,  28,  38. )  He  not  only  had  the  knowledge,  but  the  fear  of  the 
Lord.  He  perfectly  knew  the  will  of  God,  and  had  the  spirit  of  per- 
fect obedience  to  do  the  things  of  God.  So  he  says  of  himself  in 
this  connection:  "And  he  that  sent  me  is  with  me:  the  Father 
hath  not  left  me  alone ;  for  I  do  always  those  things  that  please 
him"  ;  "My  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me  and  to  finish 
his  work."  (John  iv,  34;  viii,  29.)  This  is  true  piety:  not  alone 
to  know  the  will  of  God,  but  to  have  the  will  to  do  his  will.  The 
most  casual  reading  of  the  record  of  Jesus'  ministry  on  earth  will 
show  that  these  two  things  were  ever  his  marked  characteristics. 

2. — Quick  understanding. — This  characteristic  (v.  3)  has  given 
rise  to  much  learned  discussion  as  to  its  true  meaning.  It  probably, 
almost  certainly,  means  this  :  "He  shall  draw  his  breath  in  the  fear 
of  the  Lord."  In  the  former  enumeration  of  spiritual  enduements 
we  see  what  was  given  him  as  it  were  from  without ;  but  here  we 
have  described  to  us  what  was  the  inward  characteristic  of  his  life. 
God  was  the  very  atmosphere  in  which  he  lived.  He  literally  drew 
his  breath  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  This  in  a  peculiar  manner 
describes  his  sinlessness.  We  at  our  best  do  not  always  make  God 
the  sole  atmosphere  of  our  lives.  We  breathe  much  that  is  in  the 
world  and  of  the  world ;  we  breathe  into  our  lives  much  that  stirs 
up  and  inflames  the  sinful  tendencies  of  our  nature.  But  with 
Jesus,  and  with  him  alone,  it  was  different.  He  never  drew  a 
breath  except  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  thus  breathing,  he  never 
inhaled  aught  that  corrupted  his  sinless  life.  It  is  ours  in  a  meas- 
ure to  cultivate  this  privilege.  How  often  some  of  us  have  risen 
up  out  of  a  stuffy  house  and  gone  out  into  the  open  air,  and  with 
what  delight  we  have  taken  in  a  full  breath  of  the  clean  and  pure 
atmosphere ;  how  delicious  the  experience  is,  after  having  spent 
eleven  months  in  the  confines  of  a  city,  going  in  and  out  of  all  kinds 
of  houses,  and  breathing  in  more  or  less  of  the  pollution  of  the 
streets  and  the  infection  of  sick  rooms,  to  get  away  for  a  month  into 
the  mountains  where  there  is  perfect  air !  But  Jesus,  though  he 
lived  and  walked  among  and  with  sinners  in  the  atmosphere  <jf  this 
world,  always  had  a  keen  scent  for  God,  and  though  the  Son  of  Man 
was  in  the  earth,  he  was  yet  always  in  heaven.  (John  iii,  13.)  He 
would  have  us  even  come  into  the  fullness  of  this  privilege.  "I 
pray  not  that  thou  shouldest  take  them  out  of  the  world,  but  that 


6  THE   KINGDOM   OF   CHRIST. 

thou  shouldest  keep  them  from  the  evil.  They  are  not  of  the  world, 
even  as  I  am  not  of  the  world."  (John  xvii,  13-16.)  In  these  two 
— this  double  anointing — the  outward  enduement  and  inward  full- 
ness of  the  Spirit's  power  and  "breath,  we  see  the  Messiah's  great 
qualification  for  his  kingdom. 

III.— THE    CHARACTERISTICS   OF    HIS   REIGN. 

This  divine  ruler  is  represented  as  being  doubly  girded  with 
righteousness  and  faithfulness.  The  girdle  is  a  belt,  by  means  of 
which  one's  clothes  are  held  together  and  the  body  strengthened  for 
any  special  exertion.  The  racer  or  the  workman  girds  up  his  clothes 
about  him.  Now  the  girdle  of  Jesus  was  righteousness  in  action 
and  faithfulness  in  purpose.  In  heart  and  in  action  the  Messiah  is 
perfectly  qualified  to  rule  the  world. 

1 . — His  dealing  with  the  poor  and  the  meek. — The  poor  he  will 
judge  with  righteousness.  Their  poverty  will  be  no  bar  to  perfect 
justice,  as  is  the  case  where  the  fear  of  God  is  not  before  the  eyes 
and  heart  of  the  judges.  In  Judah  particularly  the  poor  had  no 
chance  of  justice  when  contending  with  the  rich,  for  the  reason  that 
the  judges  took  bribes,  and  ruled  against  the  poor  because  they  were 
poor,  and  in  favor  of  the  rich  because  they  were  rich,  having  respect 
unto  the  recompense  of  a  bribe.  Not  so  with  Christ.  The  meek  of 
the  earth,  those  in  lowly  position,  should  have  his  special  favor. 
He  would  reprove  or  argue  for  them,  espousing  their  cause  where 
there  was  none  to  do  it  besides.  The  rich  and  strong  of  this  world 
are  in  the  habit  of  riding  over  the  poor  and  trampling  down  the 
lowly ;  but  under  Messiah's  reign  there  would  be  no  respect  of  per- 
sons. The  whole  expression  is  to  point  out  that  under  this  reign 
there  would  be  perfect  righteousness  and  perfect  faithfulness.  Ex- 
ternal circumstances  shall  not  prejudice  the  judgment  of  his  reign 
as  between  man  and  man.  "He  shall  not  judge  after  the  sight  of 
his  eyes,  nor  reprove  after  the  hearing  of  his  ears."  He  will  look 
under  external  appearance,  and,  examining  the  testimony  lying 
behind  the  words  of  the  witnesses,  he  will  get  at  the  truth. 

2. — His  dealing  with  the  wicked. — This  earth  has  been  the  seat 
of  violence  and  wickedness.  This  king  will  "smite  the  earth  with 
the  rod  of  his  mouth."  His  words  will  be  sharper  than  any  two- 
edged  sword  when  he  speaks  them  in  judgment  against  the  wicked 
earth  that  takes  part  against  the  poor  and  the  meek ;  the  breath  of 
his  mouth  will  be  like  a  flame  of  fire  when  he  breathes  upon  the 
wicked.     "When  he  comes  to  reign  it  will  be  a  day  of  deliverance  to 


THE  EFFECT   OF   HIS   REIGN.  7 

the  poor  who  have  put  their  trust  in  him,  and  a  day  of  vengeance 
against  those  who  have  in  haughtiness  of  spirit  and  pride  of  unbelief 
defied  his  righteous  will.  "And  out  of  his  mouth  goeth  a  sharp 
sword,  that  with  it  he  should  smite  the  nations :  and  he  shall  rule 
them  with  a  rod  of  iron  :  and  ho  treadeth  the  wine  press  of  the  fierce- 
ness and  wrath  of  Almighty  God."  Therefore  "  God  will  recompense 
to  you  who  are  troubled  rest  with  us :  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be 
revealed  from  heaven  with  his  mighty  angels,  in  flaming  fire,  taking 
vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God  and  that  obey  not  the  Gospel 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting 
destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  and  the  glory  of  his 
power,  when  he  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints  and  admired 
in  all  th 
xix,  15.) 


IV.— THE  EFFECT  OF  HIS  REIGN. 

The  most  astonishing  results  of  this  reign  of  perfect  righteous- 
ness on  the  earth  are  predicted.  Not  only  will  there  be  peace  on 
earth  among  men ;  not  only  will  the  rich  cease  to  oppress  the  poor, 
and  the  strong  and  mighty  no  longer  tread  under  foot  the  meek  and 
lowly ;  but  the  very  earth  shall  participate  in  the  delights  of  Mes- 
siah's kingdom,  and  especially  will  the  very  beasts  of  the  field  enter 
into  the  pleasures  and  benefits  thereof.  There  shall  be  no  more  war 
between  man  and  his  lower  fellow-creatures.  Nor  between  beast 
and  beast.  The  wolf  and  the  lamb ;  the  leopard  and  the  kid ;  the 
calf  and  the  young  lion  shall  lie  down  together,  and  a  little  child 
shall  be  their  companion,  ruling  over  them  with  a  child's  gentleness 
and  yet  a  child's  superiority.  The  most  deadly  serpents  shall  be  the 
beautiful,  yea,  the  harmless,  toys  of  infants.  Cows  and  bears  and 
their  young  shall  feed  together,  and  the  Hon  shall  eat  straw  like  the 
ox.  Where  I  am  now  writing,  where  rages  the  fierce  conflict 
between  beast  and  beast,  between  man  and  beast,  the  deadly  bite 
of  the  serpents,  and  the  terror  that  reigns  throughout  the  jungle  on 
their  account, — here,  in  India,  the  vividness  of  this  picture  is  very 
great.  The  whole  can  refer  to  nothing  else  nor  less  than  that  "final 
restitution  of  all  things,"  which  was  the  subject  of  one  of  Peter's 
great  sermons  (Acts  iii,  19-21),  and  that  "glorious  liberty "  which 
will  be  ushered  in  at  the  second  coming  of  the  Lord,  for  wThich  "the 
whole  creation  groaneth  and  travaileth  together  until  now,"  of 
which  Paul  so  eloquently  spoke  in  his  letter  to  the  Romans,  (viii,  19- 
23.)     How  wonderfully  in  accord  were  the  prophets  of  the  Old  Testa- 


8  THE   KINGDOM   OF   CHRIST. 

ment  and  the  apostles  of  the  New !  What  a  sublime  unity  in  crea- 
tion is  here  brought  out !  The  earth  was  cursed  for  man's  sake ; 
when  man's  full  redemption  comes  the  curse  will  be  removed  from 
the  lower  creation,  and  God  will  be  over  all,  blessing  and  blessed 
forever.  Here  also  we  see  how  man's  sin  has  spoiled  everything, 
and  set  everything  in  this  world  at  cross  purposes  with  themselves 
and  in  antagonism  with  God's  purpose.  Man  with  man,  beast  with 
beast,  and  man  with  beast.  When  Messiah  comes  peace  shall  be 
restored  in  the  whole  creation.  The  instrument  in  the  hands  of  this 
Divine  Agent  will  be  the  knowledge  of  God,  which  shall  fill  the  earth 
as  the  waters  cover  the  seas.  Man  only  lacks  the  spiritual  knowl- 
edge of  God  to  be  at  peace  with  him  and  with  the  whole  creation. 

V.— THE   GLORIOUS  DAY. 

The  prophet  closes  this  section  with  a  refrain  made  up  from  what 
he  has  already  said,  (i)  We  have  an  intimation  as  to  the  time  of 
this  glorious  day.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  refers  to  that  time 
when  the  Jesus  who  was  rejected  and  murdered  by  the  world  shall 
come  again  with  power  and  great  glory,  bringing  all  his  saints  with 
him  according  to  a  thousand  prophecies,  (ii)  Then  we  see  Jesus  as 
the  standard-bearer,  around  which  the  "people,"  that  is,  the  scat- 
tered Jews,  shall  come  rallying  as  unto  a  "  leader  and  a  com- 
mander." And  to  him  also  shall  the  Gentiles  seek;  for  then  they 
shall  know  that  Jesus  is  both  Lord  and  Christ,  (iii)  Then  we  have 
a  brief  but  beautiful  description  of  the  whole  reign  of  Christ.  "His 
rest  shall  be  glorious."  All  along  our  Lord  has  been,  as  it  were, 
fighting  for  peace.  His  resting  time  is  coming,  and  will  soon  be 
here.  We  are  reminded  of  what  Zephaniah  says  of  this  time,  "In 
that  day  it  shall  be  said  to  Jerusalem,  Fear  not  thou ;  and  to  Zion, 
Let  not  thine  hands  be  slack.  The  Lord  thy  God  in  the  midst  of 
thee  is  mighty ;  he  will  save,  he  will  rejoice  over  thee  with  joy ;  he 
will  rest  in  his  love ;  he  will  joy  over  thee  with  singing."  (Zeph. 
iii,  16,  17.) 


January  10,  1893. 


II. 

A  SONG    OF    SALVATION.— Isaiah   xxvi,    1-10. 

(1)  In  that  day  shall  this  song  be  sung  in  the  land  of  Judah ;  We  have  a 
strong  city ;  salvation  will  God  appoint  for  walls  and  bulwarks.  (2)  Open  ye  the 
gates,  that  the  righteous  nation  which  keepeth  the  truth  may  enter  in.  (3)  Thou 
wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace,  whose  mind  is  stayed  on  thee :  because  he  trusteth 
in  thee.  (4)  Trust  ye  in  the  Lord  for  ever  :  for  in  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  everlasting 
strength.  (5)  For  he  bringeth  down  them  that  dwell  on  high ;  the  lofty  city,  he 
layeth  it  low  ;  he  layeth  it  low,  even  to  the  ground  ;  he  bringeth  it  even  to  the  dust. 
(6)  The  foot  shall  tread  it  down,  even  the  feet  of  the  poor,  and  the  steps  of  the 
needy.  (7)  The  way  of  the  just  is  uprightness :  thou,  most  upright,  dost  weigh  the 
path  of  the  just.  (8)  Yea,  in  the  way  of  thy  judgments,  O  Lord,  have  we  waited 
for  thee ;  the  desire  of  our  soul  is  to  thy  name,  and  to  the  remembrance  of  thee. 
(9)  With  my  soul  have  I  desired  thee  in  the  night  ;  yea,  with  my  spirit  within  me 
will  I  seek  thee  early  :  for  when  thy  judgments  are  in  the  earth,  the  inhabitants  of 
the  world  will  learn  righteousness.  (10)  Let  favour  be  shewed  to  the  wicked,  yet 
will  he  not  learn  righteousness  :  in  the  land  of  uprightness  will  he  deal  unjustly, 
and  will  not  behold  the  majesty  of  the  Lord.— Isaiah  xxvi,  1-10. 

This  is  a  continuation  of  that  song  of  triumph  which  is  recorded 
in  the  twenty-fifth  chapter,  in  which  the  prophet  pours  forth  his 
thankfulness  to  God  for  the  final  victory  of  his  poor  and  needy  peo- 
ple over  her  enemies,  through  the  interposition  of  his  mighty  hand. 
The  great  city  and  stronghold  of  the  enemy  is  laid  low  even  in  the  dust, 
(xxv,  1,  2,  12.)  However  dark  and  dreadful  the  passing  time  may  "be 
to  the  believer,  he  may  always  anticipate  the  day  of  triumph,  and, 
even  while  passing  through  the  judgments  of  the  Lord  which  aro 
abroad  upon  the  earth,  he  may  sing  praises  to  his  God.  For  the 
man  of  faith  is  enabled,  by  the  aid  of  the  revelation  which  God  has 
made  of  himself  and  his  purposes,  to  view  with  God's  own  all-seeing 
eye  the  end  from  the  beginning.  That  end  is  the  overthrow  of  all 
the  powers  of  darkness,  the  upbuilding  and  victory  of  righteousness 
and  faithfulness.  Even  death  shall  not  cut  off  the  people  of  God 
from  participating  in  the  ultimate  triumph ;  for  even  the  Lord's  dead 
shall  rise  up  and  praise  him  in  that  day.  (Is.  xxv,  8  ;  xxvi,  19.)  The 
point  of  time  to  which  this  prophecy  looked  forward,  is  a  matter  of 
some  difficulty.  It  is  supposed  by  some  that  the  prophet  saw  no 
further  than  the  final  victory  of  Hezekiah  over  his  Assyrian  enemy, 

9 


10  A  SONG   OF   SALVATION. 

and  the  supernatural  defense  which  God  wrought  for  him  in  and 
about  Jerusalem  at  the  time  of  the  investment  of  the  Holy  City  by 
Sennacherib.  (II.  Kings,  xix.)  This  may  have  been  a  near  view  of 
the  situation ;  but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  looked  much  farther 
into  the  future,  even  beyond  the  restoration  from  the  great  captivity 
to  the  final  restitution.  For  nothing  ever  happened  in  Judea  at  all 
to  compare  with  the  realization  of  this  prophecy,  the  grand  subject 
matter  of  this  hymn  of  praise  and  thanksgiving.  The  time  referred 
to  must  be  cotemporaneous  with  that  happy  millennial  period  which 
is  the  burden  of  all  prophetic  joy ;  the  day  of  God  (II.  Pet.  iii,  12-16) ; 
the  time  of  the  restitution  of  all  things  (Acts  iii,  21) ;  the  happy  time 
when  the  curse  shall  be  lifted  from  the  earth  and  all  creation  shall 
rejoice  in  the  day  of  redemption  (Rom.  viii,  19-25).  Most  commen- 
tators make  this  an  entirely  spiritual  promise ;  they  tell  us  that  it 
refers  alone  to  the  triumphs  of  the  Gospel  in  the  remote  future ;  that 
the  joy  refers  to  that  heavenly  joy  with  which  the  saints  in  the  other 
world  shall  praise  God  after  all  the  righteous  of  the  earth  have  been 
thither  gathered.  But  the  prophet  is  explicit  and  says  that  the  place 
of  this  triumph  shall  be  on  the  earth,  even  in  the  land  of  Judah.  It 
is  strange  that  good  people  will  persist  in  reading  one  half  of  pro- 
phetic history  in  the  light  of  literal  historical  fulfillment  and  the  other 
half  by  some  rule  of  allegory.  The  prophecies  of  all  the  holy  men 
of  God  point  out  a  restoration  of  the  Jews  to  their  own  land,  a 
splendor  of  peace  and  righteousness  filling  the  earth,  and  all  the 
Gentile  nations  flowing  unto  Jerusalem.  These  prophecies  have 
never  been  fulfilled,  and  no  victories  of  the  Church  can  in  anywise 
answer  to  them.  The  miracuious  preservation  of  the  Jews  until  this 
day  scattered  amid  the  nations,  but  reasonably  points  to  their  literal 
restoration. 

I. -THE   CITY  OF   GOD. 

The  vision  of  another  country,  and  especially  of  a  City  whose 
maker  and  builder  is  God,  is  an  old  one.  (Heb.  xi,  16.)  Jerusalem 
of  old,  in  the  days  of  her  splendor,  was  its  type.  Her  bulwarks  and 
walls,  her  almost  impregnable  position,  was  the  type  of  the  strength 
of  the  City  of  God.  Jerusalem  was  the  capital  of  the  kingdom,  and 
was  often  taken  for  the  whole  land,  just  as  we  say  of  Paris  that  she 
is  France.  David  sung  of  this  City,  saying,  "  Glorious  things  are 
spoken  of  thee,  O  City  of  God."  (Ps.  xlvi,  4 ;  xlviii,  1,  8  ;  lxxxvii,  3  ; 
compare  with  Isaiah  liv;  Rev.  iii,  12;  xxi ;  Zech.  ii.)  There  is  no 
doubt  that  spiritual  ideas  are  very  prominent  in  connection  with  the 
prophetic  description  of  this  glorious  city  rebuilt  and  magnificent  in 


THE   CITY   OF   GOD.  11 

the  land  of  Judah  in  millennial  times ;  but  it  does  not  hence  follow 
that  we  are  only  to  look  for  the  fulfillment  of  the  prophet's  vision  as 
presented  in  such  a  passage  as  that  of  the  writer  of  the  Epistle  to 
the  Hebrews  :  "But  ye  are  come  unto  Mount  Zion,  and  unto  the  city 
of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem."  (xii,  22.)  May  it  not 
be  true  that,  as  we  sometimes  speak  of  the  inhabitants  of  a  city  as 
being  that  city  (Matt,  viii,  34),  so  we  may  also  speak  of  its  spiritual 
characteristics?  So  here  there  is  no  doubt  a  double  significance. 
There  shall  be  a  glorious  city  in  the  earth,  the  Messiah's  Metropolis, 
the  center  of  the  redeemed  world  and  the  seat  of  the  divine  govern- 
ment among  the  nations,  whose  inhabitants  shall  correspond  in  char- 
acter to  the  things  that  are  said  of  the  city.  Just  as  we  shall  see 
further  on  both  a  spiritual  and  a  literal  description  of  the  city  walls. 
Paul  spoke  of  his  citizenship  being  in  heaven;  and  this  helps  us  to 
understand  the  significance  of  the  great  spiritual  commonwealth  into 
whose  citizenship  we  have  all  been  introduced  through  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ. 

1. — A  strong  city. — The  city  was  the  fortified  capital  of  the  king- 
dom. In  the  previous  chapter  the  prophet  speaks  of  God  as  having 
made  of  "a  city"  an  heap,  of  a  defensed  city  "a  ruin."  Now,  in 
contrast  with  that  city,  which  may  have  been  the  great  Babylon, 
whose  strength  was  only  relative  and  gave  way  before  the  judgment 
of  God  in  the  hands  of  earthly  powers,  the  prophet  speaks  of  the 
city  which  God  will  build  in  the  day  of  Israel's  restoration.  A 
strong  city  suggests  to  us  a  place  of  absolute  safety.  The  spritual 
idea  underlying  this  is  that  the  Salvation  of  God  is  immutably  sure 
and  certain.  It  is  not  a  salvation  which  may  be  prevailed  against. 
There  shall  no  trial  come  upon  a  true  child  of  God  that  shall  finally 
overcome  him.  Just  as  God  was  the  invisible  defender  of  Jerusalem 
from  the  attack  of  Sennacherib,  so  he  is  the  secret  strength  of  the 
believer.  "  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  psr- 
ish."  "The  name  of  the  Lord  is  a  strong  tower;  the  righteous  run- 
neth into  it,  and  is  safe."  For  Jesus  "is  able  to  save  them  to  the 
uttermost  that  come  unto  God  by  him." 

2. — A  walled  city. — The  strength  and  pride  of  an  ancient  city 
depended  on  her  walls,  towers,  and  bulwarks.  (Ps.  xlviii,  13.) 
Now  there  is  a  remarkable  thing  about  the  description  which  the 
prophet  gives  of  this  Strong  City.  He  does  not  see  any  material 
walls,  but  declares  that  God  will  appoint  Salvation  for  walls  and  bul- 
warks. The  city  which  John  saw  (Rev.  xxi)  had  walls  of  precious 
stones.  It  has  hence  been  said  that  these  two  cities  could  not  in 
anywise  synchronize  with  each  other.     Yet  one  might  be  a  figura- 


12  A  SONG   OF   SALVATION. 

tive,  the  other  a  literal  description  of  the  same.  Isaiah  seems  to 
substitute  a  spiritual  defense  for  a  material,  when  he  says  that  God 
will  appoint  "  salvation  "  for  her  walls  and  bulwarks.  And  may  we 
not  see  a  harmony  in  Isaiah's  other  description  of  this  same  city : 
"Violence  shall  no  more  be  heard  in  thy  land,  wasting  nor  destruc- 
tion within  thy  borders ;  but  thou  shalt  call  thy  walls  Salvation,  and 
thy  gates  Praise.  (Ix,  18.)  Again  he  speaks  of  the  defense  of 
Mount  Zion  as  being  the  "  glory"  or  shekinah  of  God.  (iv,  5.)  In 
any  case,  when  salvation  prevails  both  within  the  city  and  without, 
there  will  be  no  need  of  walls,  save  for  adornment.  If  within  the 
people  of  God  are  all  righteous,  and  without  the  nations  are  all  liv- 
ing under  the  irresistible  rule  of  Messiah's  righteousness,  then  the 
city's  defense  will  be  in  the  prevailing  salvation.  When  there  is 
"peace  on  earth  and  good  will  among  men"  there  will  be  no  need 
of  walls  and  bulwarks.  Let  us  anticipate  that  day,  each  one  of  us 
in  his  own  heart  and  life,  and  "live  peaceably  with  all  men."  For 
"when  a  man's  ways  please  the  Lord,  he  maketh  even  his  enemies 
to  be  at  peace  with  him." 

3. — An  open  city. — The  command  is  given  by  the  singers  to  open 
the  gates  of  this  city  for  the  entering  in  of  the  righteous  nation. 
This  city  describes  the  dwelling-place  of  the  saints.  To  all  such  the 
gates  stand  open  wide.  "Open  to  me  the  gates  of  righteousness  :  I 
will  go  into  them ;  and  I  will  praise  the  Lord.  This  gate  of  the  Lord 
into  which  the  righteous  shall  enter."  (Ps.  cxviii,  19,  20.)  When 
the  Jews  shall  repent  of  their  rejection  of  Messiah  Jesus  and  shall 
receive  him,  then  will  they  "return  and  come  to  Zion  with  songs, 
and  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads  ;  they  shall  obtain  joy  and  glad- 
ness, and  sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee  away."  (Is.  xxxv,  1-10.) 
And  not  only  shall  the  Jews  be  permitted  to  come  into  this  city 
through  the  open  gate  of  Praise  ;  but  Gentiles  also  shall  flock  thither, 
"for  many  nations  shall  be  joined  to  the  Lord  in  that  day,  and  shall 
be  my  people  and  I  will  dwell  in  the  midst  of  thee  :  And  the  Lord 
shall  inherit  Judah  his  portion  in  the  holy  land  and  shall  choose 
Jerusalem  again."  (Zech.  ii,  11,  12.)  If  we  want  Gospel  application 
of  this  truth  we  may  easily  find  it  in  what  Jesus  says  of  himself  as 
the  Good  Shepherd,  who  is  also  the  door  of  the  sheep,  and  through 
whom,  if  any  man  enter,  he  shall  be  saved  and  shall  go  in  and  out 
and  find  pasture.  (John  x,  9.)  This  he  set  before  the  Jews,  telling 
them  also  that  he  had  other  (Gentile)  sheep  whom  also  he  must 
bring,  and  that  there  should  be  one  fold  and  one  shepherd.  Whilst 
the  time  is  not  yet  come  for  the  rebuilding  of  the  material  city  in 
the  land  of  Judah,  it  has  come  for  us,  whose  conversation  is  in  heaven 


GOD   IN   THE   MIDST.  13 

(Phil,  iii,  20),  to  be  making  ourselves  ready  for  the  glorious  time 
here  spokeu  of. 

4. — The  characteristics  of  the  inhabitants. — Three  things  shall 
characterize  all  the  people  that  shall  dwell  in  that  city :  (i)  A  stead- 
fast mind;  (ii)  perfect  peace ;  (iii)  an  everlasting  trust.  "The 
prophet's  mind  throughout  the  first  paragraph  of  his  song  is  run- 
ning on  the  security  and  immovableness  of  the  New  Jerusalem." 
He  then  describes  the  state  of  mind  which  characterizes  the  inhab- 
itants. The  rendering  of  the  verse  thus  :  "The  steadfast  mind  thou 
wilt  keep  in  peace,"  will  give  the  idea.  The  peace  of  God's  people 
is  of  a  two-fold  character  :  (a)  There  is  the  peace  of  justification : 
"  Therefore  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God."  (Rom. 
v,  1.)  This  is  peace  from  all  torment  of  conscience  by  reason  of  sin, 
because  Jesus,  who  was  delivered  for  our  transgressions,  has  been 
raised  again  for  our  justification.  God  has  settled  the  whole  ques- 
tion of  sin  as  guilt  under  the  law ;  and  so  we,  accepting  the  settle- 
ment, are  at  peace,  (b)  Then  there  is  "the  peace  of  God  which 
passeth  understanding,"  that  holy  poise  of  soul  which,  trusting  God 
entirely,  is  not  shaken  by  the  distractions  of  the  world  or  the  myste- 
rious movings  of  Providence.  It  knows  that  God  is  over  all,  and  that 
therefore  all  things  are  working  together  for  good,  and  so  is  at  peace. 
"Peace  I  leave  with  you"  (the  peace  of  justification),  "my  peace  I 
give  unto  you,"  said  Jesus  to  his  troubled  disciples.  (John  xiv,  27.) 
The  exhortation,  which  follows  the  assurance  of  perfect  peace  to  the 
steadfast  mind,  is  to  trust  in  Jehovah  at  all  times ;  never  to  doubt 
him,  never  to  falter  or  flinch  from  his  word.  He  will  always  do 
right,  he  will  always  be  true  to  his  promise ;  and  since  he  is  Love 
and  Power  as  well  as  "Wisdom  and  Goodness,  we  can  trust  unhesitat- 
ingly. How  happy  a  city  when  all  these  things  are  in  fullness  of 
exercise  ! 

II.— GOD  IN  THE   MIDST. 

"  The  Lord  thy  God  in  the  midst  of  thee  is  mighty.  He  will  save. 
He  will  rejoice  over  thee  with  joy.  He  will  rest  in  his  love.  He 
will  joy  over  thee  with  singing."  (Zeph.  iii,  17.)  This  is  the 
explanation  of  the  safety,  the  peace,  and  the  trust.  The  prophet 
gives  us  incidental  sketches  of  the  great  and  blessed  God  who  makes 
this  city  strong  and  peaceful  and  happy  by  his  presence. 

1. — He  is  strong  of  purpose. — "Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect 
peace."  Think  of  the  centuries  in  which  God  has  held  on  to  his 
purpose  of  grace  toward  Israel,  and  all  the  world  as  well.  He  says, 
"  I  know  the  thoughts  I  think  toward  you,  thoughts  of  peace  and  not 


14  A  SONG   OF   SALVATION. 

of  evil,  to  give  you  an  expected  end."  (Jer.  xxix,  11.)  The  pur- 
poses of  God  stand  sure.  His  covenanted  word  shall  never  pass 
away.  This  is  that  strong  consolation,  which  God  has  afforded  us 
"by  the  two  immutable  things,  his  word  and  his  oath,  in  which  it  is 
impossible  for  God  to  lie.  (Heb.  vi,  18.)  Hence  the  attitude  of  the 
believer  is  one  of  unmovable  confidence  and  calmest  repose:  "He 
shall  not  be  moved  forever."  "His  heart  is  fixed,  trusting  in 
Jehovah."  (Ps.  cxii,  6,  7.)  Let  us  rejoice  and  be  glad  that  our 
salvation  is  not  a  haphazard  matter,  but  is  according  to  the  eternal 
purpose  of  God  which  he  purposed  in  Christ  before  the  world  began, 
a  purpose  that  shall  stand  after  time  has  ceased  to  be. 

2. — He  is  the  Rock  of  Ages. — This  is  the  literal  translation  of 
the  words  rendered  "everlasting  strength."  We  have  here  one  of 
the  four  places  where  our  translators  (King  James's)  have  left  the 
original  word  Jehovah.  (See  Ex.  vi,  3;  Ps.  lxxxiii,  18;  Is.  xii,  2.) 
This  name  shows  us  the  gracious  side  of  God ;  it  is  the  revelation 
name  of  God  to  us  sinners.  Ho  is  called  the  Rock  of  Ages.  The 
constancy  and  unmovableness  of  his  Being,  as  revealed  to  us  in 
grace,  offers  us  a  solid  and  abiding  ground  for  faith.  The  title  Rock 
is  often  applied  to  God,  but  only  in  this  place  is  he  called  the  Rock 
of  Ages.  He  who  trusts  in  this  Rock  becomes  a  part  of  it,  and  shall 
never  be  moved.  Upon  this  Rock  of  Ages — Jehovah-Jesus — is  the 
Church  of  Christ  built,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against 
it.  (Matt,  xvi,  18.)  That  the  reader  may  follow  up  the  idea  sug- 
gested by  the  title  Rock  as  applied  to  Jehovah  God,  he  is  referred 
to  the  following  passages  of  Scripture :  Deut.  xxxii,  4,  15,  18,  30, 
31 ;  II.  Sam.  xxii,  2,  32,  47 ;  xxiii,  3 ;  Psalms  xviii,  2,  31,  46 ;  xix,  14  ; 
xxviii,  1,  etc.  ;  Is.  xvii,  10 ;  xxx,  29 ;  xliv,  8  ;  Hab.  i,  12.  All  Israel's 
troubles  came  upon  her  because  they  forsook  the  ' '  Rock  of  their 
Strength."  (Is.  xvii,  10.)  Let  us  find  all  our  strength  in  cleaving 
with  an  everlasting  trust  to  our  Rock  of  Ages. 

3. — He  is  invincible  in  his  power. — The  fifth  and  sixth  verses 
describe  how  this  Jehovah  at  last  overthrows  all  the  haughty  world- 
powers  and  lays  them  low  in  the  dust.  He  rises  up  and  tramples 
them  under  his  feet.  The  world-powers,  as  seen  in  the  proud  dynas- 
ties of  kings,  have  ever  trodden  under  foot  the  "poor  and  needy" 
who  have  espoused  Jehovah's  cause  in  the  earth.  The  proud  and 
imperious  intellectualism  of  all  ages  has  scoffed  and  scorned  the 
simple  revelation  of  God  and  despised  those  who  have  received  and 
adhered  to  it.  But  in  this  day  God  will  rise  up  and  bring  them  down 
that  dwell  on  high;  and  then  the  "poor  and  needy"  will  trample 
"the  high  and  mighty"  under  foot.     It  was  no  meaningless  cleclara- 


GOD   IN   THE   MIDBT.  15 

tion  of  Paul  when  he  said:  "Know  ye  not  that  the  saints  shall 
judge  the  earth,"  and  "the  meek  shall  inherit  it.7'  He  is  a  fool  who 
fights  against  God.  For  God  is  invincible  in  might,  and  has  given 
both  abundant  warning  and  example  of  the  certainty  of  the  judg- 
ment that  shall  overtake  the  persistently  and  willfully  wicked.  For 
God  does  not  cast  men  down  simply  because  they  are  in  high  places, 
nor  does  he  lift  them  up  simply  because  they  are  in  low  position  in 
this  world.  It  is  no  eminence  but  pride  against  which  God  fights. 
Nor  need  we  necessarily  understand  that  this  downfall  of  the  lofty 
city  is  simply  that  of  physical  defeat.  Rather  it  is  the  triumph  of 
the  "poor  and  needy"  who  through  faith  have  subdued  kingdoms 
and  triumphed  in  spite  of  all  the  opposition  of  the  unbelieving  world. 
Have  we  not  already  seen  this  in  the  steady  and  unimpeded  progress 
of  the  Church  of  Christ  even  over  the  ruins  of  hundreds  of  high 
cities,  and  in  spite  of  the  lofty  pretensions  of  the  wisdom  of  this 
world  in  ages  past? 

4. — God  is  most  upright. — Not  wisdom,  nor  power,  nor  ever- 
lastingness  are  sufficient  in  themselves  to  secure  the  unwavering 
faith  of  people.  There  must  be  absolute  uprightness  in  God  before 
men  can  finally  and  under  all  circumstances  trust  him.  "The  way 
of  the  just  is  uprightness  "  ;  or  the  path  of  the  just  is  straight.  Two 
meanings  may  attach  to  this :  Either  that  God  leads  his  people 
always  in  a  plain  path  (Ps.  v,  8;  xxvii,  11;  cxliii,  8),  or  that  he 
causes  them  through  the  constraints  of  his  grace  to  maintain  a 
righteous  walk  in  the  world.  "He  leadeth  me  in  paths  of  righteous- 
ness for  his  name's  sake."  (Ps.  xxiii,  3.)  Perhaps  both  are  com- 
prehended, though  the  dominating  thought  here  is  that,  in  the  midst 
of  great  perplexities  and  overflowing  judgments,  God  will  keep  the 
path  of  the  just  straight,  will  not  leave  them  in  the  dark  as  to  what 
course  to  pursue  in  given  circumstances,  nor  as  to  the  truth  and 
tenderness  of  his  mercy,  though  at  times  they  seem  even  to  suffer 
more  than  the  wicked,  and  are  made  to  pass  through  fires  that  are 
kindled  for  the  wicked  only.  The  whole  first  epistle  of  Peter  is  an 
exposition  of  this  truth  and  an  exhortation  to  the  fainting  saints  not 
to  despair  at  what  may  seem  at  times  to  be  the  unjust  and  cruel 
dealings  of  God  in  providence.  For  God  is  "most  upright,"  "doth 
weigh  as  in  a  balance  the  path  of  the  just."  He  keeps  it  level,  as 
justice  keeps  her  scales  straight,  in  perfect  equipoise. 


16  A  SONG   OF   SALVATION. 


III.— AN  ANXIOUS  AND   WAITING   PEOPLE. 

Trusting  in  the  uprightness  of  Jehovah  and  expecting  the  deliv- 
erance he  has  promised  his  people,  they  have  waited  in  the  way  of 
his  judgments.  That  is,  during  the  long  period  of  his  dealings  with 
the  world-powers  in  which  they  have  been,  as  it  were,  put  off  and 
the  promises  deferred,  they  have  still  waited  for  him.  Sometimes 
perhaps  they  have  cried  out:  "Lord,  how  long?"  But  still  they 
have  not  been  impatient.  In  the  waiting  for  his  coming  they  have 
desired  to  keep  in  remembrance  his  name,  or  rather  that  for  which 
his  name  stands.  It  is  so  with  us,  and  to  this  end  our  Jehovah- 
Jesus  has  given  us  a  most  precious  memorial  of  his  grace,  and  has 
bidden  us  "eat  the  bread  and  drink  the  cup"  in  remembrance  of 
him  till  he  come.  Not  only  will  they  wait  for  him,  but  even  in  the 
night  of  deepest  affliction  will  they  seek  after  him.  Not  only  will 
they  look  for  but  will  hasten  the  coming  of  Jehovah-Jesus  to  set  up 
his  kingdom.  (II.  Pet.  iii,  12.)  Like  David,  the  prophet  here  says  of 
the  people :  "One  thing  have  they  desired,  and  that  will  they  seek 
after."  Nor  was  it  entirely  with  selfish  desire  that  they  longed  for 
and  hastened  the  coming  of  Jehovah  to  make  an  end  of  their  long 
waiting,  by  overthrowing  the  wicked;  for  "when  thy  judgments  are 
in  the  earth  the  inhabitants  of  the  world  will  learn  righteousness." 
It  was  a  desire  to  see  multitudes  of  men  converted  to  God.  The 
true  believer  never  selfishly  longs  for  anything.  David  prayed  that 
he  might  be  forgiven  and  washed,  cleansed  in  heart,  and  the  joys  of 
salvation  restored  unto  him,  that  sinners  might  be  converted  to  God 
through  this  new  testimony  to  the  goodness  and  grace  of  Jehovah. 
Every  Christian  is  bound  up  with  the  purposes  of  God,  and  in  seek- 
ing his  own  he  is  also  bound  by  the  constraining  love  of  Jesus  to 
seek  the  good  of  every  other  inheritor  of  grace. 

IV.— THE   INCORRIGIBLY   WICKED. 

There  is  also  another  view  of  the  matter.  The  righteous  in  the 
earth,  patiently  enduring  the  long  waiting  time  and  the  long  night 
of  affliction,  and  desiring  the  conversion  of  men,  felt  also  that  to 
delay  any  longer  would  be  of  no  good  to  certain  determined  and 
incorrigible  sinners.  "Why  should  they  be  stricken  any  more  ?  they 
will  only  revolt  more  and  more."  (i,  5.)  "Let  favor  be  shown  to  the 
wicked,  yet  will  he  not  learn  righteousness ;  in  the  land  of  upright- 
ness will  he  deal  unjustly,  and  will  not  behold  the  majesty  of  God." 


THE   INCORRIGIBLY  WICKED.  17 

He  will  abuse  the  goodness  of  God,  that  ought  to  lead  him  to  repent- 
ance, and  interpret  God's  delay  and  reluctance  to  take  final  judgment 
against  him  as  being  either  weakness  or  indifference  in  the  face  of 
sin.  The  example  of  righteousness  will  be  thrown  away,  and  they 
will  go  on  dealing  unjustly,  nor  will  they  in  anything  see  the  majesty 
of  God.  They  will  not  see  it  in  the  universe  that  declares  his  glory ; 
they  will  not  see  it  in  his  providence  that  manifests  his  goodness ; 
they  will  not  see  it  in  his  Gospel  that  reveals  his  grace ;  nor  will 
they  behold  it  in  his  impending  judgments  which  declare  that,  full 
of  goodness  and  mercy  as  he  is,  he  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty. 
The  righteous  wait  for,  and  seek  after  the  fulfillment  of  God's 
promise,  that  those  who  may  be  and  will  be  converted  by  his  com- 
ing may  speedily  be  brought  in,  and  that  the  incorrigibly  wicked 
may  be  cut  off  from  further  hindering  the  purposes  of  God  toward 
his  people.  God's  answer  to  this  desire  is  found  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. "The  Lord  is  not  slack  concerning  his  promises,  as  some 
men  count  slackness ;  but  is  long-suffering  to  us-ward,  not  willing 
that  any  should  perish,  but  that  all  should  come  to  ^pentance." 
(II.  Pet.  iii,  9.) 


January  17,  1893. 


III. 

OVERCOME    WITH    WINE.— Isaiah    xxviii,     i-i3. 

(1)  Woe  to  the  crown  of  pride,  to  the  drunkards  of  Ephraim,  whose  glorious 
beauty  is  a  fading  flower,  which  are  on  the  head  of  the  fat  valleys  of  them  that  are 
overcome  with  wine !  (2)  Behold,  the  Lord  hath  a  mighty  and  strong  one,  which 
as  a  tempest  of  hail  and  a  destroying  storm,  as  a  flood  of  mighty  waters  over- 
flowing, shall  cast  down  to  the  earth  with  the  hand.  (3)  The  crown  of  pride,  the 
drunkards  of  Ephraim,  shall  be  trodden  under  feet :  (4)  And  the  glorious  beauty, 
which  is  on  the  head  of  the  fat  valley,  shall  be  a  fading  flower,  and  as  the  hasty 
fruit  before  the  summer  ;  which  when  he  that  looketh  upon  it  seeth,  while  it  is  yet 
in  his  hand  he  eateth  it  up.  (5)  In  that  day  shall  the  Lord  of  hosts  be  for  a  crown 
of  glory,  and  for  a  diadem  of  beauty,  unto  the  residue  of  his  people,  (6)  And  for  a 
spirit  of  judgment  to  him  that  sitteth  in  judgment,  and  for  strength  to  them  that 
turn  the  battle  to  the  gate.  (7)  But  they  also  have  erred  through  wine,  and  through 
strong  drink  are  out  of  the  way;  the  priest  and  the  prophet  have  erred  through  strong 
drink,  they  are  swallowed  up  of  wine,  they  are  out  of  the  way  through  strong  drink  ; 
they  err  in  vision,  they  stumble  in  judgment.  (8)  For  all  tables  are  full  of  vomit  and 
filthiness,  so  that  there  is  no  place  clean.  (9)  Whom  shall  he  teach  knowledge  ?  and 
whom  shall  he  make  to  understand  doctrine  ?  them  that  are  weaned  from  the  milk, 
and  drawn  from  the  breasts.  (10)  For  precept  must  be  upon  precept,  precept  upon 
precept ;  line  upon  line,  line  upon  line;  here  a  little,  and  there  a  little  :  (11)  For  with 
stammering  lips  and  another  tongue  will  he  speak  to  this  people.  (12)  To  whom  he 
said,  This  is  the  rest  wherewith  ye  may  cause  the  weary  to  rest ;  and  this  is  the  re- 
freshing :  yet  they  would  not  hear.  (13)  But  the  word  of  the  Lord  was  unto  them 
precept  upon  precept,  precept  upon  precept ;  line  upon  line,  line  upon  line ;  here 
a  little,  and  there  a  little  ;  that  they  might  go,  and  fall  backward,  and  be  broken, 
and  snared,  and  taken.— Isaiah  xxviii,  1-13. 

Isaiah  has  in  the  previous  chapters  taken  a  general  survey  of  the 
whole  world,  his  eyes  piercing  down  the  vista  of  time  to  remotest 
ages.  All  the  principal  nations  of  the  earth  have  passed  in  review 
under  his  eyes,  and  he  has  denounced  upon  them  the  woe  and  doom 
of  judgment.  He  has  even  seen  the  final  judgment  and  destruction 
of  the  earth  itself,  with  a  vivid  description  of  that  final  cataclasm. 
(xxiv,  17-20.)  In  the  midst  of  all  this  he  has  not  failed  to  see  and 
predict  the  establishment  of  Messiah's  kingdom,  and  the  gathering 
into  it  of  all  the  Gentile  nations,  which  vision  has  caused  him  again 
and  again  to  sing  praises  unto  God  and  songs  of  deliverance  for  the 
people.     His  prophecies  are  so  vivid  and  so  real  to  him  that  he 

18 


OVERCOME   WITH  WINE.  19 

seems  to  be  personally  present  and  a  participator  in  their  fulfillment. 
These  things,  unseen  by  the  world,  had  become  substantial  realities 
to  him  by  revelation's  prophetic  vision.  After  his  general  survey 
of  all  nations  and  all  times,  he  comes  back  again  to  the  immediate 
present,  describing  the  state  of  things  existing  in  Samaria,  the  cap- 
ital of  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  and  depicting  also  that  condition  of 
Judah  herself.  He  pronounces  doom  both  upon  Samaria  and  upon 
Jerusalem. 

The  present  chapter,  and  especially  the  portion  at  which  we 
are  particularly  looking,  affords  us  a  striking  illustration  of  the 
terrible  evil  of  strong  drink,  God's  judgment  upon  it,  and  the  cer- 
tain doom  which  will  overtake  the  drunkard,  and  tells  of  the  only 
possible  remedy  and  deliverance  for  its  victims.  If  we  were  asked 
the  question  whether  the  Bible  condemned  absolutely  the  use  of 
wine  as  a  beverage,  we  should  be  compelled  to  answer  in  the  nega- 
tive ;  but  if  we  were  asked  what  the  testimony  of  the  Bible  is  as 
regards  its  excessive  use,  then  we  have  "line  upon  line  and  precept 
upon  precept "  to  show  that  it  is  one  of  the  worst  evils  with  which 
the  Spirit  of  God  has  had  to  contend  among  men  in  all  ages.  If  we 
were  asked  whether  it  is  the  duty  of  Christian  men  to  become  total 
abstainers,  we  should  be  compelled  to  answer  that  every  man  must 
be  the  judge  of  that  for  himself.  The  Bible  lays  no  such  command 
upon  the  people  of  God ;  but  the  Bible  does  warn  and  admonish  all 
men  to  the  effect  that  "no  drunkard  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God,"  and  that  it  is  not  lawful  for  a  Christian  to  "eat,"  that  is,  to 
hold  communion  with  any  man  who  calls  himself  a  brother,  who  is  a 
drunkard.  Drunkenness  is  classified  with  fornication,  covetousness, 
idolatry,  railing,  reviling,  thievery,  and  extortion.  (I.  Cor.  v,  11 ;  vi, 
10. )  If  any  brother  plead  for  the  lawful  use  of  wine  he  must  remem- 
ber that  he  uses  it  at  his  peril,  and  that  his  example  is  also  a  matter 
which  he  must  consider ;  and,  in  any  case,  however  lawful  he  may 
esteem  it  to  be  for  him  to  use  wine,  he  must  be  sure  that  he  is  never 
brought  under  the  power  of  it.  (I.  Cor.  vi,  12.)  In  giving  the  script- 
ural teaching  on  this  subject,  we  must  exclude  our  own  personal 
convictions  as  to  personal  duty  and  say  that  in  any  personal  decis- 
ion, "Let  every  man  be  fully  persuaded  in  his  own  mind,"  remem- 
bering that  "everyone  of  us  shall  give  an  account  of  himself  to 
God."  It  is  not  for  one  to  judge  another  in  these  matters,  but  it  is 
for  every  one  of  us  to  take  the  whole  matter  into  consideration  in 
the  light  of  the  times  in  which  we  live,  the  habits  of  the  people 
around  us,  and  evident  perils  that  are  besetting  both  nations  and 
individuals,  and  "judge  this  rather,  that  no  man  put  a  stumbling- 


20  OVERCOME   WITH   WINE. 

block  or  an  occasion  to  fall  in  his  brother's  way."  (Rom.  xiv,  5,  12, 
13.)  It  is  certain  that  God  has  laid  no  universal  command  of  total 
abstinence  on  his  people,  but  it  is  equally  true  that  he  has  not  put 
anything  in  the  way  of  any  Christian  man  using  his  liberty  in  the 
way  of  total  abstinence.  I  am  as  free  not  to  touch  or  taste  wine  for 
conscience  sake  and  my  brother's,  as  I  am  free  to  use  it  temperately 
for  my  own  use  or  benefit  in  all  good  conscience.  I  am  not  afraid 
that  I  will  be  misunderstood  as  being  an  advocate  of  even  moderate 
or  temperate  drinking,  while  I  am  thus  trying  to  set  the  teaching  of 
God's  word  before  my  readers.  For  myself,  if  by  the  stroke  of  my 
pen  or  the  opening  of  my  mouth  I  could  sweep  away  every  distillery 
and  brewery  and  wine  vat  in  the  world,  I  would,  do  it  instantly ;  yet 
I  am  not  prepared  to  judge  another  as  being  untrue  to  God  or  his 
obligations  to  his  brother  who  still  does  not  see  his  way  clear  to  the 
total  abstinence  position.  On  the  other  hand,  we  are  bound  to  look 
the  whole  subject  of  drunkenness  squarely  in  the  face,  and  then 
decide  for  ourselves  before  God.  It  is  certain  that  there  are  more 
temperate  users  of  wine  in  the  world  than  there  are  drunkards.  It 
is  not  certain  that  temperate  use  of  wine  leads  to  drunkenness,  even 
in  a  majority  of  cases ;  but  it  is  certain  that  total  abstinence  is  an 
absolutely  safe  rule  both  for  each  man  and  each  man's  neighbor. 
This  is  much  more  true  now  than  it  ever  was,  for  the  simple  reason 
that  the  modern  discovery  of  artificial  production  of  alcohol  has,  by 
its  introduction  into  the  manufacture  of  all  manner  of  alcoholic 
drinks,  made  them  more  dangerous  and  deadly  than  they  were  in 
any  other  age  of  the  world.  A  glance  at  the  history  of  the  world 
will  show,  I  am  sure,  that  no  one  practice  has  led  more  to  the  final 
overthrow  of  nations  than  that  which  culminates  in  the  almost  uni- 
versal habit  of  wine-drinking.  This  habit  is  the  sure  sign  of  general 
debauchery  of  life  and  decay  of  conscience.  It  is  more  than  prob- 
able that  the  violence  which  filled  the  earth  in  antediluvian  times 
was  caused  for  the  greater  part  by  the  excessive  use  of  strong  drink. 
It  must  have  been  a  universal  habit,  if  we  may  judge  by  the  fact 
that  even  so  good  a  man  as  Noah  allowed  himself  to  be  overcome  by 
it  so  soon  after  landing  in  the  new  world.  That  it  was  one  of  the 
master  sins  of  Sodom  may  be  found  in  a  like  example  in  the  case  of 
Lot,  who  allowed  himself  to  be  made  drunk  with  wine  by  his  unholy 
daughters.  Drink  was  then,  and  has  always  been,  the  instrument 
and  associate  of  sensuality  and  licentiousness,  as  well  as  of  all  man- 
ner of  violence.  Drunkenness  was  a  capital  offense,  punishable  by 
death  under  the  Mosaic  law.  (Deut.  xxi,  20,  21.)  It  was  absolutely 
forbidden  to  a  priest  while  performing  his  priestly  functions,  and  its 


THE   DRUNKARDS   OF   EPHRAIM.  21 

use  was  not  allowed  within  the  precincts  of  the  temple.  No  Naza- 
rite  might  ever  touch  it.  There  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  the  sin  and 
crime  of  drunkenness  was  that  which  led  to  the  final  overthrow  of 
Israel  and  Judah.  If  not  the  direct  cause,  it  was  the  ripe  fruit  of 
the  underlying  causes.  We  have  only  to  refer  to  the  frequency  with 
which  the  prophets  referred  to  and  denounced  this  sin  to  be  instantly 
convinced  of  the  abhorrence  and  detestation  with  which  God  re- 
garded it.  (Is.  v,  11,  22  ;  xxii,  13  ;  lvi,  12  ;  Hos.  iv,  11 ;  vii,  5  ;  Amos 
vi,  6,  etc.)  In  these  and  other  passages  wo  read  of  whoredom  and 
wine  together,  of  luxuriant  living  and  bottles  of  wine,  and  bowls  of 
wine,  as  though  excessive  drinking  were  the  certain  accompaniment 
to  all  the  worst  sins  of  the  flesh.  Certain  it  is  that  wine  unto  drunk- 
enness is  the  devil's  strongest  weapon ;  a  very  counterfeit  and  sub- 
stitute in  wicked  men  for  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  child  of  God. 
Therefore  "be  not  drunk  with  wine,  wherein  is  excess,  but  be  filled 
with  the  spirit."  (Eph.  v,  18.)  Perhaps  here  we  have  the  best  and 
safest  rule  for  temperance  among  God's  people.  They  who  are  filled 
with  the  Spirit  are  certain  never  to  be  drunk  with  wine.  The  two 
will  not  go  together,  for  one  is  of  the  God  of  heaven  and  the  other 
of  the  god  of  this  world. 

I.— THE  DRUNKARDS  OF  EPHRAIM. 

The  prophet  opens  this  chapter  with  a  woe  against  or  a  warning 
to  Samaria,  which  he  saw  steeped  in  drunkenness,  and  careless  of 
her  impending  peril.  The  danger  to  Samaria  was  growing  more  and 
more  threatening  by  the  advance  of  Tiglath  Pileser  and  Shalmaneser, 
but  in  the  face  of  this  she  insisted  that  she  was  strong  and  was  giv- 
ing herself  up  more  and  more  to  every  form  of  self-indulgence  and 
carnal  luxury,  fasting  and  stretching  herself  on  beds  of  ivory,  danc- 
ing to  the  music  of  the  viol,  inventing  new  instruments  of  music  to 
arouse  sated  senses,  and  utterly  refusing  to  believe  in  the  danger 
that  was  frowning  upon  her.  (Amos  iv,  1 ;  vi,  G,  13.)  Against  this 
drunken  and  luxury-besotted  capital  Isaiah  launches  his  woe.  In 
doing  so  he  describes  her  beauty  and  tells  her  how  it  shall  all  be  laid 
low.  It  is  agreed  by  all  that  Samaria  was  most  beautiful  in  situa- 
tion and  one  of  the  most  magnificently  glorious  cities  of  her  time, 
pinnacled  on  a  high  eminence  that  was  itself  embosomed  at  the  head 
of  a  beautiful  valley  lying  among  the  still  higher  mountains.  At  the 
head  of  a  fat  valley  that  was  fairly  embroidered  with  flowers,  the 
inhabitants,  under  the  lead  of  the  sensual  kings,  had  beautified  their 
city  with  magnificent  palaces  of  ivory  and  every  manner  of  architect- 


22  OVERCOME   WITH   WINE. 

ural  device.  They  had  their  city  palaces  and  their  country  houses. 
They  cultivated  magnificent  gardens  and  formulated  every  invention 
for  giving  pleasure  to  every  sense  of  the  body.  They  were  as  proud 
and  dissipated  as  they  were  rich  in  the  glory  of  their  natural  situa- 
tion and  beautiful  in  their  artificial  adornments.  But  in  the  midst 
of  all  this  they  were  a  nation  and  city  of  drunkards,  swallowed  up 
by  strong  drink,  and  broken  morally,  mentally,  spiritually,  and 
physically  with  wine.  For  this  the  prophet  denounces  against  them 
a  swiftly  impending  destruction.  Their  crown  of  pride  should  be 
trodden  under  foot,  their  glorious  beauty,  like  the  flowers  about 
them,  should  fade  and  wither  away  under  the  fierce  blast  that  was 
gathering  from  the  clouds  in  the  northern  horizon.  They  were 
proud  and  defiant,  but  God  had  an  instrument  prepared  to  bring 
down  their  pride  :  "Behold  the  Lord  hath  a  mighty  and  strong  one." 
This  was  the  Assyrian  power  which  he  was  using  as  his  sword  (Ps. 
xvii,  13)  with  which  to  chastise  this  foolish,  proud,  defiant,  and 
wicked  kingdom  whom  he  had  nourished  from  a  child,  and  who  had 
returned  all  his  love  by  the  most  deliberate  and  wicked  apostasies. 
The  destruction  which  was  coming  upon  them  is  described  "a  tem- 
pest with  hail,"  "a  destroying  storm," '"a  flood  of  mighty  waters 
overflowing."  Underneath  this  triple  assault  the  Samaritan  city  and 
all  the  kingdom  of  Israel  would  be  cast  down  and  trodden  under 
foot ;  her  crown  in  the  mire  ;  her  beauty  withered ;  herself  swallowed 
down  as  a  man  swallows  down  the  first  ripe  fig  that  comes  into  his 
hand.  War  is  fearful  even  in  modern  times,  vastly  more  was  it  in 
antiquity;  and  amongst  all  the  nations  none  were  so  pitiless  and 
cruel  as  the  Assyrians.  We  are  justified  in  drawing  f6r  ourselves 
this  lesson,  that  they  who  give  themselves  up  to  a  mere  sensuous 
life,  seeking  only  after  pleasure,  indulging  in  vain  and  worldly 
pride,  ambition,  and  all  self-indulgence,  are  preparing  for  themselves 
a  like  fate.  Drunkenness,  which  may  be  taken  for  all  manner  of 
carnal  living,  will  certainly  lead  to  the  casting  down  of  the  proud 
crown  of  man's  superiority,  and  the  withering  away  of  his  glorious 
beauty.  What  havoc  strong  drink  makes  of  man,  overthrowing  his 
manhood,  withering  up  his  capacities  and  accomplishments,  and 
sweeping  him  away  from  the  earth  as  a  storm  with  hail  and  tem- 
pest, and  flood  !  Truly  has  the  wise  man  said  :  "  Wine  is  a  mocker, 
strong  drink  is  raging ;  and  whoso  is  deceived  thereby  is  not  wise." 
"New  wine  taketh  away  the  heart."  "Who  hath  woe?  who  hath 
sorrow?  who  hath  contentions?  who  hath  wounds  without  cause? 
who  hath  redness  of  eyes?  They  that  tarry  long  at  the  wine,  that 
go  to  seek  mixed  wine."     Therefore  :  "Look  not  on  the  wine  when 


A   GLORIOUS   REMNANT.  23 

it  is  red,  when  it  givetk  its  color  in  the  cup,  when  it  moveth  itself 
aright.  At  the  last  it  biteth  like  a  serpent  and  stingeth  like  an 
adder."     (Prow  xx,  1;  xxiii,  29-35;  Hos.  iv,  11.) 

H.— A  GLORIOUS  REMNANT. 

Isaiah  had  warned  Samaria  of  the  impending  consequences  of  her 
confirmed  sensuality  and  utter  disregard  of  God's  voice,  had  swept 
them  with  the  terrible  words  of  prophetic  judgment  and  left  them 
wallowing  in  the  mire  and  dirt,  cast  down  and  trampled  under  foot. 
But  as  a  true  moralist  and  faithful  preacher  of  righteousness,  he 
summons  their  attention,  and  especially  does  he  intimate  to  Judah 
that,  though  judgment  is  sure  to  the  persistently  wicked,  God's 
mercy  is  ever  held  out  to  those  who  heed  his  warning  voice.  He 
tells  of  a  remnant  who  have  been  saved  from  the  prevailing  drunk- 
enness, and  so  intimates  the  secret  of  that  strength  which  may  resist 
temptation.  "In  that  day,"  the  day  of  easting  down  of  the  crown 
and  the  withering  of  the  glorious  beauty,  it  will  be  seen  that  there 
is  a  "residue  of  his  people,"  to  whom  the  Lord  of  Hosts  shall  be 
"for  a  crown  of  glory  and  for  a  diadem  of  beauty."  (v.  5.)  He  tells 
them  of  judgment,  but  offers  them  mercy.  He  warns  them  of  com- 
ing destruction,  but  holds  out  to  them  the  sure  hope  of  salvation. 
"The  wages  of  sin  is  indeed  death,  but  the  gift  of  God  is  eternal 
life."  This  hope  is  not  in  mere  human  strength  or  moral  upright- 
ness. The  Lord  of  Hosts  shall  be  for  a  crown  of  glory  and  for  a 
diadem  of  beauty.  Those  who  have  made  him  so  are  seen  to  pre- 
serve the  spirit  of  justice  in  their  administration  of  judgment  and 
courage  in  the  day  of  battle.  Nor  only  courage,  but  victory  too  ;  for 
such  are  able  to  chase  away  their  enemies  even  to  the  very  gates 
whence  they  came  out.  This  referred  no  doubt  historically  to  the 
good  King  Hezekiah,  who  "trusted  in  the  God  of  Israel,  and  clave 
to  the  Lord  and  departed  not  from  following  him,"  therefore,  "the 
Lord  was  with  him,  and  he  prospered  withersoever  he  went  forth," 
and  "he  smote  the  Philistines,  even  unto  Gaza  and  to  the  borders 
thereof,  from  the  tower  of  the  watchman  to  the  fenced  city."  (II. 
Kings  xviii,  1-8.)  Thus  shall  they  all  triumph  in  stemming  the  tide 
of  iniquity,  who,  like  Hezekiah  and  the  residue  of  the  people,  make 
God  their  crown  of  glory  and  their  diadem  of  beauty.  He  will  keep 
all  such  from  falling,  and  present  them  at  last  faultless  before  the 
presence  of  his  glory  with  exceeding  joy.     (Jude  24.) 


24  OVERCOME   WITH   WINE. 


IIX.-^JUDAH'S   SINFULNESS. 

Isaiah  had  called  the  attention  of  Judah  to  the  stubborn  sinful- 
ness of  Samaria ;  had  warned  them  of  the  judgment  coming  upon 
her,  and  held  out  to  them  the  hope  of  deliverance  from  a  like  evil 
which  he  saw  was  surely  coming  upon  them  for  like  sins,  and  sought 
thereby  to  turn  the  whole  house  of  Judah  to  the  Lord.  But  he  had 
cast  his  pearls  before  swine.  In  Hezekiah  and  a  small  remnant 
there  was  found  a  people  who  heeded  his  voice,  but  the  mass  of  the 
people  only  mocked  at  his  warnings  and  cast  them  back  in  his  teeth. 
The  reformations  of  Hezekiah  were  both  religious  and  political.  He 
took  away  the  idols  out  of  the  land  ;  he  threw  off  the  yoke  of  Assyria 
and  restored  the  temple ;  but  the  priests  and  the  judges  continued 
immoral,  and  especially  did  their  habits  of  drunkenness  continue. 
"They  also  erred  through  wine  and  strong  drink,  and  were  far  out 
of  the  way."  The  picture  which  the  prophet  draws  is  most  vivid 
and  humiliating.  They  imitated  the  pride,  unbelief,  and  drunken- 
ness of  Samaria.  The  priests  and  the  prophets  reeled  with  wine  and 
staggered.  Wine  had  swallowed  them  up.  The  judges  erred  in 
vision  ;  that  is,  they  failed  in  clear-eyed  justice,  and  they  went  stag- 
gering on  to  the  judgment  seats.  The  very  tables  and  furniture  of 
the  court-rooms  and  temple  were  fouled  with  their  drunken  vomit, 
and  there  was  no  place  clean  from  the  filthy  evidences  of  their 
debaucheries.  Something  similar  to  this  awful  condition  of  things 
was  witnessed  in  the  church  at  Corinth,  which  the  Apostle  Paul  had 
to  denounce  with  such  bitter  and  mournful  protests.  (I.  Cor.  xi,  21, 
22.) 

To  the  prophet's  warnings,  and,  we  may  be  sure,  tender  exhor- 
tations, they  hurled  back  sarcastic,  perhaps  drunken  retorts.  Isaiah 
reports  them  as  replying  in  this  fashion:  "Whom  will  he  teach 
knowledge,  and  whom  shall  he  make  to  understand  tidings  ?  "  Does 
he  take  us  for  a  lot  of  babies  ?  Do  not  we  know  truth  as  well  as  he  ? 
Does  he  set  himself  up  as  better  than  we  are,  that  he  comes  to  us 
with  these  everlasting  reiterations  of  commonplace  moral  maxims? 
"Line  upon  line  and  precept  upon  precept."  The  prophet's  remon- 
strances irritated  them ;  they  complained  bitterly  and  mockingly  that 
they  were  tired  of  it,  and  gave  him  to  understand  that  they  would 
have  it  no  more.  It  is  a  sure  sign  of  the  last  stage  of  infidelity  when 
unbelievers  and  sinners  turn  mockers.  "There  shall  come  in  the 
last  days  scoffers,  saying:  Where  is  the  promise  of  his  coming?" 
(II.  Pet.  iii,  1.)     In  our  day  there  is  a  strong  tendency  to  scoff  at 


GOD'S   ANSWER   TO   THE   MOCKERS.  25 

the  consant  repetition  of  the  simple  doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  the 
preaching  of  repentance,  faith,  atonement,  and  regeneration.  And 
proud  unbelievers  reject  such  Gospel  preachers,  and  say,  "  Why  does 
he  not  cease  these  everlasting  repetitions  ?  Why  does  he  not  pro- 
duce some  new  grand  and  original  theories,  consistent  with  the 
advancing  thought  and  culture  of  the  dawning  of  the  twentieth 
century?  Let  us  have  done  with  this  everlasting  babbling  of  pre- 
cepts and  worn-out  exhortations.  Are  we  children  that  we  should 
be  taught  in  this  way?  Line  upon  line  and  precept  upon  precept. 
Sin  is  sinful,  and  must  be  punished.  Except  ye  repent  ye  shall  all 
likewise  perish.  The  wages  of  sin  is  death  and  the  gift  of  God  is 
eternal  life.  We  are  tired  of  all  this.  Let  him  preach  this  twaddle 
to  the  women  and  children,  but  we  are  men,  and  know  as  much  and 
more  than  he  does."  Well  is  it  for  us  teachers  and  preachers  if  we 
stick  to  the  method  of  ''line  upon  line  and  precept  upon  precept," 
and  woe  to  the  proud  and  sensual,  the  vainglorious  and  unbelieving, 
if  they  make  a  mock  of  God's  truth  and  tidings. 

IV.— GOD'S   ANSWER  TO  THE   MOCKERS. 

The  prophet  turns  on  these  mockers  with  a  scorn  whetted  on 
their  own  grindstone.  They  mock  and  scoff  at  line  upon  line  and 
precept  upon  precept,  which  they  liken  to  a  stuttering  and  stammer- 
ing man  who  says  over  and  over  his  words,  and  does  not  get  on  in 
speech  beyond  his  first  utterances.  So,  says  the  prophet,  God  will 
speak  to  you  "with  stammering  lips  and  another  tongue."  This 
refers  without  doubt  to  the  speech  of  the  Assyrians,  who  would 
speedily  come  upon  them  and  sweep  them  away.  The  speech  of  the 
Assyrian  was  a  kind  of  vowelless  guttural  which  made  its  sound 
jerky,  and  not  unlike  that  of  stutterers  to  the  ears  of  the  Jews,  whose 
tongue  was  a  smoother  and  more  cultivated  branch  of  the  same 
family  of  language.  God  had  by  the  prophet  pressed  upon  them  his 
mercy  and  exhorted  them  to  turn  to  him,  saying,  "  This  is  your  rest 
and  this  is  your  refreshing ;  "  but  they  would  not  hear.  They  had 
scoffed  at  his  "good  tidings,"  and  would  not  hear  his  gracious  words 
(Deut.  xxviii,  1-14) ;  and  now  because  they  had  thus  rejected  his 
"line  upon  line  and  precept  upon  precept,"  he  would  speak  to  them 
by  war  and  desolation  before  the  speech  of  which  "they  would  go, 
and  fall  backward,  and  be  snared,  and  be  broken,  and  taken."  God 
would  carry  them  all  away  captive  and  devastate  their  land.  God 
has  two  methods  of  speech.  One  is  by  word  of  mouth  in  warning 
and  promise.     If  the  people  will  not  hear  God's  Gospel,  then  they 


26  OVERCOME   WITH   WINE. 

will  hear  his  judgments.  Thus  did  Jesus  speak  to  the  Jews.  He 
wept  over  them,  and  would  have  gathered  them  under  his  wings,  but 
they  would  not  come  to  him.  Therefore  their  house  was  left  to 
them  desolate,  and  the  enemies  came  upon  them  and  destroyed 
them.  (Matt,  xxiii,  38  ;  Luke  xiii,  35.)  If  we  are  not  blind  and  dead 
in  sin  and  determined  to  provoke  God  to  judgment,  we  will  hear  his 
sweet  and  tender  words  of  grace,  offering  to  us  forgiveness  and  jus- 
tification through  Jesus  Christ.  If  we  will  not  hear  the  Gospel,  then 
we  had  better  hear  this  word  of  warning :  "  Behold  ye  despisers,  and 
wonder  and  perish ;  for  I  work  a  work  in  your  days,  a  work  which 
ye  shall  in  nowise  believe,  though  a  man  declare  it  unto  you." 
(Acts  xiii,  38-41.)  Let  it  be  well  taken  to  heart  that  both  the  con- 
cluding clauses  of  the  great  Gospel  commission  are  true.  "He  that 
believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved ;  but  he  that  believeth  not 
shall  be  damned."  (Mark  xvi,  16.)  It  may  seem  like  a  stammer- 
ing, commonplace  reiteration  of  "line  upon  line  and  precept  upon 
precept "  to  the  willfully  proud  and  sinful,  but  God  has  his  common- 
place too  ;  and  all  history  combines  to  prove  that  they  who  will  not 
repent  of  sin  shall  inevitably  perish,  whether  as  nations  or  individ- 
uals. 


January  34,  1893. 


IV. 

HEZEKIAH'S  PRAYER  AND  DELIVERANCE.— Isaiah  xxxvii, 
14-21,  33-38. 

(14)  And  Hezekiah  received  the  letter  from  the  hand  of  the  messengers,  and 
read  it  :  and  Hezekiah  went  up  unto  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  spread  it  before 
the  Lord.  (15)  And  Hezekiah  prayed  unto  the  Lord  saying,  (16)  O  Lord  of  hosts, 
God  of  Israel,  that  dwellest  between  the  cherubim,  thou  art  the  God,  even  thou 
alone,  of  all  kingdoms  of  the  earth  :  thou  hast  made  heaven  and  earth.  (17)  Incline 
thine  ear,  O  Lord,  aud  hear  :  open  thiue  eyes,  O  Lord,  and  see :  and  hear  all  the 
words  of  Sennacherib,  which  hath  sent  to  reproach  the  living  God.  (18)  Of  a  truth, 
Lord,  the  kings  of  Assyria  have  laid  waste  all  the  nations,  and  their  countries, 
(19)  And  have  cast  their  gods  into  the  fire  :  for  they  were  no  gods,  but  the  work  of 
men's  hands,  wood  and  stone  :  therefore  they  have  destroyed  them.  (20)  Now 
therefore,  O  Lord  our  God,  save  us  from  his  hand,  that  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth 
may  know  that  thou  art  the  Lord,  even  thou  only.  (21)  Then  Isaiah  the  son  of 
Amoz  sent  unto  Hezekiah,  saying,  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  Whereas  thou 
hast  prayed  to  me  against  Sennacherib  king  of  Assyria :  (33)  Therefore  thus  saith 
the  Lord  concerning  the  king  of  Assyria,  He  shall  not  come  into  this  city,  nor  shoot 
an  arrow  there,  nor  come  before  it  with  shields,  nor  cast  a  bank  against  it.  (34)  By 
the  way  that  he  came,  by  the  same  shall  he  return,  and  shall  not  come  into  this  city, 
saith  the  Lord.  (35)  For  I  will  defend  this  city  to  save  it  for  mine  own  sake,  and 
for  my  servant  David's  sake.  (36)  Then  the  angel  of  the  Lord  went  forth,  and 
smote  in  the  camp  of  the  Assyrians  a  hundred  and  fourscore  and  five  thousand  :  and 
when  they  arose  early  in  the  morning,  behold,  they  were  all  dead  corpses.  (37)  So 
Sennacherib  king  of  Assyria  departed,  and  went  and  returned,  and  dwelt  at 
Nineveh.  (38)  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  was  worshipping  in  the  bouse  of  Nisroch 
his  god,  that  Adrammelech  and  Sharezer  his  sons  smote  him  with  the  sword  ;  and 
they  escaped  into  the  land  of  Armenia :  and  Esar-haddon  his  son  reigned  in  his 
stead.— Isaiah  xxxvii,  14-21,  33-33. 

In  the  struggles,  defeats,  and  final  triumph  of  the  ancient  peo- 
ple of  God  in  their  conflicts  with  the  surrounding  nations,  we  have  a 
key  to  the  purposes  of  God  in  respect  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and 
the  kingdoms  of  this  world;  a  key  to  the  interpretation  of  the  prin- 
ciples and  powers  underlying  the  conflict  between  the  people  of  God 
and  the  unbelievers  of  this  world.  God's  hand  is  in  this  earth's  his- 
tory ;  his  eye  is  upon  all  men  and  his  ear  open  to  their  counsels  ;  at 
the  proper  time  and  in  the  proper  place  he  will  frustrate  all  the  com- 
binations of  evil  and  bring  to  pass  all  his  purposes  of  righteousness. 
Evil  men  and  seducers  will  be  overthrown,  and  his  people  will  be 

27 


28  HEZEKIAH'S   PRAYER  AND   DELIVERANCE. 

brought  off  more  than  conquerors.  It  is  not  by  might  or  by  power 
that  believers  triumph  over  their  spiritual  enemies  or  win  their  vic- 
tories, but  by  the  interposition  of  God's  almighty  arm.  The  preced- 
ing chapter  is  so  closely  connected  with  that  from  which  our  present 
study  is  taken,  that  the  two  must  be  read  together.  Jerusalem  was 
under  siege,  or  at  least  was  threatened  with  siege  and  capture  by 
the  Assyrian  king.  In  spite  of  all  Hezekiah's  efforts  to  buy  a  peace 
for  himself  and  his  kingdom,  the  greedy,  haughty,  and  most  power- 
ful king  was  determined  to  be  satisfied  with  nothing  short  of  entire 
and  full  possession  of  Jerusalem  itself.  (For  further  historical  set- 
ting let  the  reader  consult  II.  Kings  xviii,  13 ;  xix ;  II.  Chron.  xxxii, 
1-21.)  It  seems  almost  certain,  from  similarity  of  language  and 
close  agreement  of  facts,  that  Isaiah  was  the  author  of  the  histories 
as  recorded  in  Kings  and  Chronicles,  as  well  as  the  chapters  now 
under  consideration  in  the  book  bearing  his  name.  The  first  per- 
emptory message,  with  the  proud  and  blasphemous  boasts  of  Sen- 
nacherib, threw  Hezekiah  into  great  distress  of  mind  and  profound 
dismay.  He  appealed  to  the  prophet  Isaiah,  who  encouraged  him 
to  keep  silence  and  trust  in  God.  (vs.  1-7.)  A  sudden  rumor  of  an 
army  marching  in  his  rear  caused  a  diversion  of  the  Assyrian's  pur- 
pose, but  meantime  he  sent  another  haughty  message  to  Hezekiah, 
warning  him  that  he  was  powerless  to  resist,  and  intimating  his 
return  presently  to  capture  the  city.  This  was  a  written  message 
(14),  and  it  again  disturbed  Hezekiah,  but  apparently  his  faith  in 
God  was  not  shaken,  and  so  he  resorted  again  to  the  temple  and 
spread  the  whole  matter  out  before  the  Lord  and  sought  help  and 
deliverance.  Hezekiah's  action  in  this  matter  is  a  lesson  to  us  as  to 
how  we  should  meet  impending  dangers  and  how  to  behave  ourselves 
before  God  and  men  when  in  trouble.  His  prayer  is  a  model,  both 
in  order  and  composition,  and  worthy  our  deepest  study. 

I.— THE   PRAYER  OF   HEZEKIAH. 

Hezekiah  was  a  righteous,  though  not  a  perfect  man.  He  was 
habituated  to  prayer,  and  so  now,  when  a  great  emergency  was  upon 
him,  he  betook  himself  to  prayer,  not  as  one  who  was  frightened 
into  it,  but  as  one  who  knew  his  God,  had  often  had  dealings  with 
him,  and  counted  on  his  interposition.  As  the  prayer  unfolds  itself, 
every  point  of  his  need  is  brought  clearly  into  view. 

1.— The  place  and  attitude  of  prayer.— "Hezekiah  went  up  into 
the  house  of  the  Lord."  This  was  the  proper  standing-ground  on 
which  to  make  petitions.     God  had  promised  to  meet  his  people 


THE   PRAYER   OF   HEZEKIAH.  29 

there  and  hear  and  answer  their  prayers.  (II.  Chron.  vii,  14,  15.) 
We  have  not  now  any  particular  place  in  which  to  pray,  but  we  have 
a  Name  which  to  plead.  The  name  of  Jesus,  and  "  whatsoever  we 
ask  in  his  name,"  other  conditions  being  also  fulfilled,  "  shall  be 
done  unto  us."  Jesus  is  the  true  "meeting-place"  between  God 
and  his  people  ;  he  is  the  true  ground  on  which  prayer  is  to  be  made. 
By  him  we  have  access  to  God.  (Eph.  ii,  14.)  Then  Hezekiah  did 
another  thing.  He  took  the  haughty  and  insolent  letter  of  Rab- 
shakeh  and  "spread  it  before  the  Lord."  Thus  he  would  lay  the 
whole  matter  just  as  it  was  before  God,  put  him,  as  it  were,  in  pos- 
session of  all  the  facts  in  the  case  as  they  had  come  to  him.  Of 
course,  we  do  not  understand  that  it  was  the  material  letter  that  he 
submitted  to  the  eyes  of  Jehovah,  but  the  actual  spreading  out  of 
the  letter  was  symbolical  of  the  fact  that  he  submitted  the  case  to 
God.  This  act  of  the  good  king  reminds  us  very  much  of  the  prayer 
of  the  disciples  after  the  authorities  had  threatened  them  and  forbid- 
den them  to  speak  any  more  in  the  name  of  Jesus  :  "And  now,  Lord, 
behold  their  threatenings,  and  grant  unto  thy  servants  that  with  all 
boldness  they  may  speak  thy  word."  (Acts  iv,  29.)  They  spread 
out  the  whole  case  before  the  Lord,  asked  him  to  look  at  the  circum- 
stances, and  deliver  them  by  making  them  bold  to  do  that  which 
they  had  been  commanded  of  God.  So  should  we  take  God  into  our 
confidence,  and  "in  everything  by  prayer  and  supplication  with 
thanksgiving  make  our  request  known  unto  God."  (Phil,  iv,  6.)  We 
too  often  plan  our  own  deliverance  or  our  own  work  and  then  ask 
God  to  ratify  it,  whereas  the  first  thing  to  do  is  to  spread  the  matter 
at  once  fully  before  God,  reverently  submitting  to  his  plan  and  will, 
seeking  in  his  wisdom  the  right  thing  to  do. 

2. — The  address. — Here  was  a  reverent  remembrance  of  his  maj- 
esty and  a  silent  appeal  to  his  power,  in  which  also  Hezekiah 
renewed  his  own  confession  of  faith:  "O  Lord  of  hosts,  God  of 
Israel."  Israel  was  in  trouble,  and  God  was  Israel's  God,  not  a  mere 
titular  deity,  but  the  great  God  of  hosts.  This  is  a  familiar  designa- 
tion of  God  and  Jehovah,  and  refers  to  his  universal  sovereignty  and 
power.  "That  dwellest  between  the  cherubim."  This  is  a  refer- 
ence to  the  fact  that  God  had  been  pleased  to  make  his  dwelling- 
place  on  the  Mercy-Seat  between  those  mysterious  figures  called  the 
cherubim,  from  which  place  he  was  always  graciously  inclined 
toward  his  people.  If  the  cherubim  symbolize  the  incarnation  (of 
which  I,  at  least,  have  no  doubt),  then  the  reference  to  God's  posi- 
tion between  them,  or,  as  we  would  now  say,  "God  in  Christ."  is 
very  significant.     David  made  a  similar  appeal  to  God  on  behalf  of 


30  HEZEKIAH'S   PRAYER   AND  DELIVERANCE. 

Israel:  "Give  ear,  O  Shepherd  of  Israel;  thou  that  dwellest  between 
the  cherubim  shine  forth.  Stir  up  thy  strength  and  come  and  save 
us."  (Ps.  lxxx,  1-3.)  "Thou  art  the  God,  thou  alone,  of  all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  earth."  The  views  of  Sennacherib  were  that  each 
nation  and  kingdom  had  their  own  gods  (xxxvi,  18-20),  but  Heze- 
kiah  ascribes  to  God  not  only  aloneness  in  his  being,  but  oneness, 
and  universal  sovereignty  over  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth.  He 
therefore  could  interfere  in  the  plans  of  the  Assyrian  king  for  the 
purpose  of  frustrating  them,  as  well  as  come  to  the  defense  of  his 
own  peculiar  people  ;  besides,  there  was  a  refutation  and  repudiation 
of  the  boasted  idol  gods  who  had  been  compared  to  him.  It  is  a 
remarkably  strong  declaration  of  Old  Testament  monotheism,  and  is 
similar  to  other  declarations  (c.  g.,  vi,  1-5;  Micah  i,  2,  3 ;  iv,  5;  vi, 
0-9;  vii,  17,  18.)  "Thou  hast  made  heaven  and  earth."  It  is  a 
favorite  thought  of  Isaiah  and  the  old  prophets,  and  indeed  all  the 
Jews  who  were  instructed  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  to  couple  his 
redemptive  with  his  creative  power.  The  whole  earth  and  the 
heavens,  and  everything  in  them,  are  the  works  of  his  hands,  and 
therefore  he  is  over  all,  God  blessed  forever.  Thus  did  Hezekiah 
throw  himself  on  all  the  great  attributes  of  God  before  he  began  his 
petition. 

3. — The  supplication. — "Incline  thine  ear  and  hear,  open  thine 
eyes  and  see."  Shall  all  the  doings  of  this  vain  and  proud  braggart 
go  past  without  thine  observation?  Shall  all  his  scandalous  words 
in  which  he  has  openly  derogated  thee  pass  by  thine  hearing?  His 
words  are  no  reproach  to  us,  but  they  have  reproached  thee." 
Hezekiah  is  outraged  for  the  name  and  majesty  of  Jehovah.  He  is 
jealous  for  his  name,  as  much,  possibly  more,  concerned  for  the  glory 
of  God  in  this  moment  than  he  was  for  the  temporal  deliverance  of 
himself,  his  people  and  city,  from  Sennacherib's  hands.  True  prayer 
has  always  reference  to  the  glory  of  God,  however  much  our  own 
personal  desires  and  needs  may  be  involved  in  the  things  asked  for. 
"Let  not  thy  God  in  whom  thou  trusteth,  deceive  thee."  (v.  10.) 
"Lord,  refute  and  roll  back  that  scandalous  speech  and  reproach." 

4. — Confession. — Hezekiah  was  not  unmindful  of  the  difficulties 
that  opposed  themselves  to  him,  of  the  dangers  that  confronted 
him,  nor  of  the  truth  of  the  statements  of  the  letter  concerning  the 
power  of  Sennacherib.  "Of  a  truth,  Lord,  the  kings  of  Assyria 
have  laid  waste  all  the  nations  and  their  countries,  and  have  cast 
their  gods  into  the  fire."  For  two  centuries  they  have  had  a  steady 
career  of  conquest.  There  was  no  denying  this ;  and  many  of  the 
countries  and  kingdoms  that  had  succumbed   to  their  power  were 


THE   PRAYER   OF   HEZEKIAH.  31 

much  stronger  than  that  of  Hezekiah  at  this  time.  There  was  there- 
fore some  show  of  truth  in  what  they  said.  (II.  Kings  xv,  19,  20, 
29;  xvi,  9;  xvii,  5,  6;  Is.  xx,  1.)  Faith  does  not  ignore  difficulties 
nor  close  its  eyes  to  precedents  in  which  the  enemy  has  triumphed, 
hut  then  it  is  bold  in  the  belief  that  God  is  able ;  and  that  what  may 
seem  to  be  failure  is  due  to  other  causes  than  the  lack  of  power  or  cov- 
enant faithfulness  on  the  part  of  God.  Let  us  admit  the  worst  of 
the  case  when  we  come  to  God,  but  only  that  there  may  be  an  oppor- 
tunity hence  for  the  " manifesting  forth  of  his  glory." 

5. — The  faith  in  which  the  prayer  was  made. — Hezekiah  having 
admitted  the  prowess  of  the  great  enemy,  proceeds  to  say  to  the  Lord 
that  the  triumph  of  Sennacherib  over  other  nations  and  their  gods 
proves  nothing  in  this  case,  from  the  fact  that  the  gods  of  the 
nations  were  no  gods  at  all,  but  mere  idols  of  wood  and  stone,  the 
work  of  men's  hands.  Therefore  they  were  overthrown,  and  so  it 
proves  nothing  as  to  the  power  of  Sennacherib  on  the  one  hand,  or 
the  lack  of  God's  power  to  defend  his  people  from  this  hitherto 
triumphant  power  on  the  other.  Hezekiah,  in  thus  declaring  his 
faith  in  God  above  all  idols,  seems  also  to  call  on  God  to  make  this 
truth  apparent  to  the  Assyrians.  Here  his  jealousy  for  God  momen- 
tarily rises  above  his  anxiety  for  Jerusalem. 

6. — The  petition. — "Now  therefore,  O  Lord  our  God,  save  us 
from  his  hand."  This  is  the  simple,  brief,  and  comprehensive  peti- 
tion. Just  save  us.  "We  do  not  dictate  the  means,  we  do  not  dic- 
tate the  nature  of  the  salvation.  Just  save  lis  out  of  his  hand. 
Sometimes  the  most  effective  prayers  are  the  shortest.  "God  be 
merciful  to  me  a  sinner,"  was  a  very  brief  prayer.  So  was  "Lord 
save  me,"   but  both  were  heard  and  answered ;  so  was  Hezekiah's. 

7. — The  argument. — Hezekiah's  argument  is  all  gathered  up  into 
this  consummation,  "that  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  may  know  that 
thou  art  Jehovah,  even  thou  only."  This  is  not  only  an  argument 
for  the  glory  of  God's  name  and  being,  as  against  the  vain  boasts  of 
the  enemy  and  the  insulting  comparisons  instituted  between  the 
God  of  Israel  and  the  gods  of  the  nations,  but  there  is  in  it  also  that 
sublime  spirit  which  made  Hezekiah  long  even  that  these  heathen 
nations,  yea,  even  the  Assyrians  who  were  threatening  them,  might 
come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  True  believers  long  always 
that  others  may  know  their  God.  It  is  right  for  us  to  desire  that 
our  own  may  know  God,  and  even  our  Mends,  but  it  is  the  part  of 
the  true  Christian  spirit  to  desire  that  even  our  enemies  might  know 
God,  to  long  to  see  even  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  brought  to  a 
saving  knowledge  of  the  truth.     This  was  a  true  missionary  prayer 


32  HEZEKIAH'S   PRAYER  AND   DELIVERANCE. 

of  Hezekiah.  Sometimes  the  knowledge  of  God  can  only  be  spread 
by  the  overthrow  of  some  great  political  power  or  the  removing  of 
some  gigantic  enemy,  such  as  Assyria  and  Sennacherib.  It  proved 
to  be  so  in  this  case. 

II.— THE   DELIVERANCE. 

After  his  prayer  (we  do  not  know  how  long  after)  Isaiah,  who 
seems  to  have  been  supernaturally  informed  of  the  prayer,  and  in 
like  manner  put  in  possession  of  Jehovah's  reply,  "sent  word  to 
Hezekiah,"  that  inasmuch  as  he  has  submitted  the  matter  concern- 
ing Sennacherib  to  him  for  help  and  deliverance,  his  request  would 
be  heard  and  answered.  The  following  verses  give  an  account  of 
the  answer. 

1. — The  promise. — The  first  part  of  this  promise  is  to  the  effect 
that  the  "  virgin  daughter  of  Zion  hath  despised  thee  and  laughed 
thee  to  scorn ;  the  daughter  of  Jerusalem  hath  shaken  her  head  at 
thee."  (22,  23.)  This  seems  to  be  not  only  an  answer  to  Rab- 
shakeh,  for  his  vain  and  blasphemous  bragging  and  boasting,  but 
also  an  assurance  to  Hezekiah.  The  daughter  of  Zion,  like  a  virgin 
maid,  was  in  herself  weak  and  helpless ;  nevertheless  she  held  all  the 
threatening  of  the  Assyrian  in  scorn  and  contempt,  and  would  shake 
her  head  in  derision  at  him,  either  in  defiance  of  his  onset  or  follow- 
ing him  with  mockery  in  his  retreat  from  the  city.  Then  follows  a 
message  to  the  Assyrian  direct,  in  which  God  rebukes  him  for  his 
boastful  blasphemies,  and  reminds  him  of  how  in  the  ages  past  God 
has  overthrown  and  destroyed  the  nations  which  had  presumed  to 
oppose  themselves  to  Jehovah.  Then  he  is  told  that  God's  eye  has 
been  upon  him,  and  that  now  Jehovah  was  about  to  "put  a  hook  in 
his  nose  "  and  lead  him  away  out  of  the  country  in  contempt,  not 
even  giving  him  the  glory  of  a  battle.  Then  follows  another  prom- 
ise to  the  remnant  of  Judah  that  they  should  again  "take  root  down- 
ward and  bear  fruit  upward."  (vs.  24-32.)  Then  comes  again 
God's  "Therefore,"  concerning  the  Assyrian,  (i)  "He  shall  not 
come  into  the  city,"  not  even  near  enough  to  shoot  the  first  prelim- 
inary arrow  at  it,  much  less  near  enough  to  use  shields,  or  even  raise 
an  embankment  against  it  for  the  purpose  of  a  siege.  Sennacherib's 
army  was  not  then  under  the  walls,  but  only  gathering  in  the  dis- 
tance, when  the  "letter"  came  to  Hezekiah.  God  now  assures  the 
king  that  it  shall  not  approach  the  city.  He  should  be  delivered, 
and  that  without  even  a  siege,  (ii)  "I  will  defend  this  city  to  save 
it  for  mine  own  sake."     This  of  course  meant  that,  without  even  the 


THE   DELIVERANCE.  33 

secondary  help  of  man,  he  would  in  a  supernatural  way  defend  it, 
and  that  for  his  own  sake.  Rabshakeh  had  defied  God  and  put  con- 
tempt upon  his  name,  while  boasting  his  own  prowess,  or  that  of 
his  king.  God  would  vindicate  his  name  and  save  his  city  by  such 
a  demonstration  of  supernatural  power,  without  the  immediate 
agency  of  man,  as  would  leave  no  doubt  in  the  minds  of  the  Assyr- 
ian as  to  the  fact  that  the  Lord  was  God  indeed.  Now  and  again 
God  has  done  such  things  just  to  clear  up  the  testimony  and  leave 
men  no  excuse  for  their  opposition  on  the  ground  of  ignorance.  He 
did  it  with  Pharaoh,  who  challenged  his  power ;  he  did  so  with  the 
Midianites  when  he  used  Gideon's  little  band ;  he  did  so  with  the 
great  army  that  besieged  Samaria ;  he  did  so  when  he  delivered 
Elisha  at  Dothan ;  now  he  will  do  so  in  delivering  Jerusalem  out  of 
the  hands  of  Sennacherib. 

2. — The  fulfillment. — "Then  the  angel  of  the  Lord  went  forth 
and  smote  in  the  camp  of  the  Assyrians,  an  hundred  and  four  score 
and  five  thousand ;  and  when  they  arose  early  in  the  morning,  behold 
they  were  all  dead  corpses."  This  was  an  awful  visitation.  All  the 
more  so  that  it  was  done  in  the  night  and  with  perfect  silence.  (II. 
Kings  xix,  35.)  This  awful  destruction  of  the  larger  part  of  Senna- 
cherib's amiy  was  not  discovered  until  the  morning.  It  was  done  so 
silently.  What  a  terror  must  have  frozen  their  hearts,  and  that  of 
the  king,  when  the  remnant  discovered  that  their  great  companies, 
with  which  they  were  probably  that  very  morning  going  to  march 
against  Jerusalem,  were  all  dead  in  their  places  !  "Who  can  with- 
stand his  judgments?  "  Who  is  strong  enough  to  fight  against  God? 
Let  the  wicked  wonder  before  they  perish  at  the  rebuke  of  his  coun- 
tenance and  the  breath  of  his  mouth.  When  men  ask  in  derision : 
< '  Where  is  thy  God ! "  the  probability  is  that  before  they  expect  it, 
suddenly,  "as  the  lightning  flashing  out  of  the  sky,"  sudden  destruc- 
tion will  be  upon  them. 

3. — Sennacherib's  humiliation. — In  this  awful  visitation  the  king 
himself  did  not  die,  but  lived  to  "enjoy  his  humiliation."  Without 
even  so  much  as  striking  a  blow,  or  coining  near  the  city  against 
which  he  had  so  proudly  vaimted  himself,  he  was  compelled  to 
gather  together  the  miserable  and  terrified  fragment  of  his  army  and 
return  "by  the  way  that  he  came."  It  must  have  been  an  awful 
humiliation  for  this  proud  king  to  take  his  march  over  the  same 
route  by  which  he  had  approached  Jerusalem,  not  laden  with  the 
spoil  of  the  captured  city,  leading  thousands  of  the  chief  men  and 
princes,  and  King  Hezekiah  himself,  in  his  triumphal  captive  train, 
but  with  his  shattered  army  to  be  the  gazing  stock  of  the  countries 


U  IIEZEKIAH'S   PRAYER   AND   DELIVERANCE. 

lie  had  subdued  and  a  by-word  among  his  own  people.  We  must 
fancy  that  he  entered  Nineveh  with  muffled  drums,  or  no  drums  at 
all,  with  trailing  or  furled  banners.  When  God  does  rise  up  to 
humble  the  proud,  he  does  it  thoroughly.  A  further  humiliation 
awaited  him.  He  went  after  up  into  the  house  of  his  idol  to  wor- 
ship, not  immediately,  for  he  appears  to  have  lived  some  twenty 
years  after  this  defeat.  But,  at  any  rate,  instead  of  his  god  defend- 
ing him,  much  less  giving  him  assurance  of  further  victories,  his 
own  sons,  who  should  have  stood  by  and  comforted  their  father, 
conspired  together  and  slew  him.  So  ended  the  career  of  this  proud 
boaster,  and  so  began  the  decline  of  this  great  Assyrian  power. 
The  lessons  of  prayer  and  deliverance  are  very  wonderfully  illus- 
trated in  this  undoubtedly  true  history  of  the  conflict  between  Sen- 
nacherib and  Hezekiah.  Let  us  learn  the  secret  of  prayer  and  wait 
in  quietness  and  confidence  for  our  deliverance  out  of  the  hands  of 
all  our  enemies. 


January  31,  1892. 


V. 

THE    SUFFERING     SAVIOUR.— Isaiah    liii,    1-12. 

(1)  Who  hath  believed  our  report  ?  and  to  -whom  is  the  arm  of  the  Lord  re- 
vealed ?  (2)  For  he  shall  grow  up  before  him  as  a  tender  plant,  and  as  a  root  out  of 
a  dry  ground  :  he  hath  no  form  nor  comeliness  ;  and  when  we  shall  see  him,  there  is 
no  beauty  that  we  should  desire  him.  (3)  He  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men  ;  a 
man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief :  and  we  hid  as  it  were  our  faces  from 
him ;  he  was  despised,  and  we  esteemed  him  not.  (4)  Surely  he  hath  borne  our 
griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows  :  yet  we  did  esteem  him  stricken,  smitten  of  God, 
and  afflicted.  (5)  But  he  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for 
our  iniquities  :  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him  ;  and  with  his  stripes 
we  are  healed.  (6)  All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray  ;  we  have  turned  every  one 
to  his  own  way  ;  and  the  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all.  (7)  He  was 
oppressed,  and  he  was  afflicted,  yet  he  opened  not  his  mouth  :  he  is  brought  as  a 
lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  openeth  not 
his  mouth.  (8)  He  was  taken  from  prison  and  from  judgment :  and  who  shall  de- 
clare his  generation  ?  for  he  was  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the  living  :  for  the  trans- 
gression of  my  people  was  he  stricken.  (9)  And  he  made  his  grave  with  the  wicked, 
and  with  the  rich  in  his  death  ;  because  he  had  done  no  violence,  neither  was  any 
deceit  in  his  mouth.  (10)  Yet  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him ;  he  hath  put  him  to 
grief  :  when  thou  shalt  make  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin,  he  shall  see  his  seed,  he 
shall  prolong  his  days,  and  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord  shall  prosper  in  his  hand. 
(11)  He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied  :  by  his  knowledge 
shall  my  righteous  servant  justify  many  ;  for  he  shall  bear  their  iniquities.  (12) 
Therefore  will  I  divide  him  a  portion  with  the  great,  and  he  shall  divide  the  spoil 
with  the  strong  ;  because  he  hath  poured  out  his  soul  unto  death :  and  he  was  num- 
bered with  the  transgressors  ;  and  he  bare  the  sin  of  many,  and  made  intercession 
for  the  transgressors.— Isaiah  liii,  1-12. 

In  the  forty-second  chapter  we  see  the  Servant  of  Jehovah  going 
forth,  divinely  commissioned  and  endowed  with  the  Spirit,  to  bring 
forth  judgment  to  the  Gentiles  and  to  set  righteousness  in  the  earth. 
In  this  chapter  we  see  him  in  humiliation  and  suffering,  the  neces- 
sary conditions  for  his  success  in  the  salvation  of  the  people.  In 
the  fifty-fifth  chapter  we  shall  see  him  graciously  calling  sinners  to 
himself,  and  guaranteeing  to  them  the  redemption  and  the  blessings 
of  salvation  which  he  hath  purchased  and  won  for  them.  It  is 
impossible  not  to  see  the  personal  Messiah  in  this  sublime  prophecy, 
nor  was  the  personality  of  the  Messiah  as  portrayed  here  denied 
even  by  the  Jews  themselves  until  the  twelfth  century,  when  the 

35 


30  THE   SUFFERING   SAVIOUR. 

celebrated  Aben  Ezra  denied  its  personal  signification,  and  made  it 
apply  to  the  Jews  as  a  people.  Without  referring  to  the  almost 
unanimous  concensus  of  Christian  writers  on  this  point,  it  is  enough 
for  us  that  the  prophecy  is  distinctly  applied  to  Christ  by  the  writers 
of  the  New  Testament  in  at  least  the  following  passages :  Matt, 
viii,  17 ;  Mark  xv,  28 ;  Luke  xxii,  37 ;  John  xii,  37,  38 ;  Acts  viii,  32, 
33 ;  Rom.  x,  16 ;  I.  Pet.  ii,  24,  25.  This  chapter  has  well  been 
called  "the  Holy  of  Holies  of  revelation."  The  sufferings  of  Christ 
and  the  glory  that  shall  follow  is  the  theme  of  the  Old  Testament. 
(Luke  xxiv,  25,  26;  I.  Pet.  i;  ii,  1-10.)  Here  we  are  introduced  into 
the  very  innermost  sanctuary  of  this  sublime  mystery.  It  has  been 
called  the  "golden  passional  of  the  Old  Testament  evangelist." 
"It  is  the  center  of  this  wonderful  book  of  consolation  (ch.  xl-lxvi), 
and  is  the  most  central,  deep,  and  lofty  thing  that  the  Old  Testa- 
ment prophecy,  outstripping  itself,  has  ever  achieved."  (Delitzsch 
Com.  on  Isaiah,  vol.  II.,  p.  303.)  It  is  so  sublime  and  simple,  so 
unmistakable  in  its  meaning,  and  so  full  of  hope  and  life  just  as  it 
stands,  that  one  hesitates  exceedingly  even  to  offer  the  briefest  word 
of  comment.  It  seems  like  attempting  to  paint  the  lily  with  the 
almost  certain  result  of  marring  its  original  beauty ;  or  to  adorn  the 
doctrine  of  Christ,  which  is  in  itself,  like  its  author,  "altogether 
lovely." 

The  chapter  opens  with  a  lament  by  the  prophet:  "Who  hath 
believed  our  report?"  Hitherto  Isaiah  had  portrayed  the  Messiah 
on  the  side  of  his  glories  and  triumphs,  and  yet  he  was  conscious 
that  his  "report"  had  been  mainly  communicated  to  unbelieving 
cars.  If  the  people  were  not  aroused  to  faith  by  the  report  of  a 
glorious  Immanuel  and  a  Mighty  God,  a  Wonderful  Prince  of  Peace, 
whose  government  should  know  no  end,  what  might  he  expect  of 
these  unbelieving  ears  when  he  begins  to  clothe  the  Messiah  in  the 
sombre  hues  of  suffering  and  death?  "And  to  whom  is  the  arm  of 
the  Lord  revealed  ?  "  Hitherto  all  the  wonderful  workings  of  God's 
arm  in  the  deliverances  as  well  as  the  captivities  of  the  people  wcro 
not  discerned,  but  set  down  to  mere  natural  causes ;  will  they  now 
see  them  in  this  suffering  Messiah  when  he  comes  the  Servant  of 
Jehovah?  If  they  have  not  seen  the  arm  of  God  in  the  outward 
works  which  he  has  wrought  for  them,  how  will  they  see  his  hand  in 
this  mysterious  inward  work  of  redemption?  Will  they  see  the 
necessity  of  these  sufferings,  their  hidden  meaning,  and  their  glo- 
rious fruit?  The  prophet  gives  his  reasons  for  his  fears  in  this 
respect,  and  in  so  doing  he  unfolds  to  us  in  sublimest  poetry  the 
very  mysteries  of  our  redemption,  gradually  taking  on  an  enthusiasm 


MESSIAH'S  HUMILIATION.  37 

of  faith  himself  until  he  sees  the  triumph  of  Christ  in  the  "dividing 
of  the  spoil  with  the  strong."  Sometimes  the  very  statement  of  our 
troubles  is  the  most  effectual  way  to  their  disposal.  The  prophet's 
vision,  however,  was  correct;  for  when  Jesus  came,  how  few 
believed  that  he  was  the  Christ  of  God;  how  many  despised  and 
rejected  him ;  howbeit,  not  all,  for  some  received  him,  and  to  them 
he  gave  eternal  life.  The  same  state  of  things  is  true  to-day  as  in 
the  prophet's  time,  and  in  the  days  of  our  Saviour's  suffering  here 
on  earth.  Thanks  be  to  God,  though  apparently  so  few  believe  the 
report  and  see  the  arm  of  the  Lord  in  the  coming,  ministry,  death, 
burial,  and  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ,  yet  somehow  he  seems  to 
have  been  steadily  gaining  empire  in  human  hearts  and  compelling 
a  reluctant  world  to  his  recognition. 

I.— MESSIAH'S   HUMILIATION. 

The  first  vision  of  the  Messiah  that  meets  the  prophet's  eye  was 
his  deep  humiliation,  whereat  he  seems  amazed  himself.  In  his 
description  of  it  he  foretells  what  was  afterward  exactly  true  in  fact. 
And  his  portraiture  agrees  with  the  apostolic  declaration:  ''Who 
being  in  the  form  (equal  with)  of  God,  made  himself  of  no  reputa- 
tion and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the 
likeness  of  men  :  and  being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled 
himself  and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the 
cross."  (Phil,  ii,  6-8.)  The  various  points  of  his  humiliation  are 
stated. 

1. — He  is  as  a  tender  plant,  and  as  a  root  out  of  a  dry  ground. — 
These  two  expressions  do  not  denote  the  same  thing.  First  there  is 
the  idea  of  feebleness.  He  came  into  the  world  not  as  the  glorious 
Angel  of  Jehovah,  such  as  appeared  to  Joshua  and  other  Old  Testa- 
ment saints,  but  as  a  helpless  babe  wrapped  in  the  swaddling  clothes 
of  poverty,  and  laid  in  a  manger.  This  indeed  was  a  tender  sapling 
from  the  old  fallen  tree  of  the  house  of  David.  "A  root  out  of  a  dry 
ground "  referred  no  doubt  to  the  barren  and  unpromising  circum- 
stances and  surroundings  of  his  appearance.  His  lowly  place  in  the 
world.  A  poor  peasant  girl  his  mother.  A  poor  ship-carpenter  his 
reputed  father.  The  mean  and  despised  town  of  Nazareth  his  home, 
and  the  rude  and  contemptible  Galilee  his  country.  "Can  any  good 
thing  come  out  of  Nazareth?"  was  the  natural  exclamation  of 
Nathaniel  when  he  heard  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  reported  to  be 
the  Messiah.  No  earthly  advantages  were  his  such  as  Moses  had, 
or  Joseph,  or  Daniel,  or  Nehemiah.     Not  in  kings'  courts  was  he 


38  THE   SUFFERING   SAVIOUR. 

brought  up,  but  in  a  poor  carpenter's  shop,  to  whom  he  was  subject 
during  his  youth.  Yet  two  things  are  said  of  him  thus  growing 
tenderly  out  of  dry  ground.  He  grew  up  before  Jehovah,  and 
though  the  ground  was  dry,  he  was  a  root  striking  deep  down  into  soil 
that  the  world  knew  not  of,  and  drawing  life  from  a  source  beyond 
the  reach  of  other  men.  In  the  contemplation  of  the  outward 
appearances  of  men  we  are  often  ignorant  or  oblivious  of  the  hidden 
resources  in  themselves  or  of  their  unseen  excellencies.  "Whence 
knoweth  this  man  letters,  having  never  learned?"  was  the  amazed 
inquiry  of  the  Jews.  They  did  not  know  that  he  was  in  himself 
endowed  with  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  counsel,  that  "in  him  were 
hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge." 

2. — "  Without  form  or  comeliness." — This  probably  means  that 
he  was  accompanied  in  his  public  ministry  by  no  outward  forms  and 
ceremonies  common  to  princes  and  great  men ;  that  there  was  no 
regal  pomp  and  splendor  to  attract  the  eyes  of  men  about  him. 
"And  when  we  shall  see  him  there  is  no  beauty  that  we  should  desire 
him."  There  was  indeed  meek  beauty  about  him,  and  a  majestic 
dignity  of  carriage  that  sometimes  awed  his  disciples  and  amazed 
his  enemies,  but  ordinarily  there  was  nothing  specially  attractive 
about  Jesus.  He  wore  the  ordinary  peasant  garb,  he  traveled  the 
dustv  streets  and  highways  of  the  cities,  villages,  and  country,  often- 
times carrying  dust  and  stain  on  his  person,  with  the  evidences  of 
weariness  in  his  face.  He  probably  was  not  beautiful  in  face  as  was 
David,  nor  head  and  shoulders  above  his  disciples  in  physical  stature 
as  King  Saul  among  his  brethren.  His  beauty  was  in  his  sublime 
character  rather  than  in  his  countenance.  It  is  singular  that  before 
the  days  of  Constantine,  when  Christianity  was  made  a  state  relig- 
ion, the  tradition  of  Christ's  face  was  that  of  a  very  plain  and  unat- 
tractive man  ;  after  that  period  the  spiritual  and  moral  power  of  his 
life  idealized  and  glorified  his  face.  When  men  see  the  inward 
beauty  of  Christ,  there  is  life  for  them  in  the  vision ;  when  they  only 
see  the  outward  earthly  pomp  of  his  Church,  the  art  and  poetry  of 
"Christianity,"  then  there  is  nothing  but  death  in  the  view. 

3. — "Despised  and  rejected  of  men.  A  man  of  sorrows  and 
acquainted  with  grief." — This  was  certainly  true  of  him,  so  far  as 
most  men  were  concerned,  during  the  time  of  his  earthly  sojourn ;  it 
is  true  now.  "He  came  to  his  own  and  his  own  received  him  not." 
More  than  that,  "we  hid  as  it  were  our  faces  from  him;  he  was 
despised  and  we  esteemed  him  not."  What  could  more  perfectly 
portray  the  attitude  of  most  men  to-day,  and  alas,  not  a  few  women  ? 
They  will  not  look  at  the  humiliation  and  suffering  of  Christ.     They 


THE   SUFFERING   MESSIAH.  39 

turn  their  faces  away  from  that  view  of  him  and  hide  their  faces 
from  the  glance  of  his  sad  and  sorrowful  eyes.  There  will  be 
another  hiding  of  faces  from  him  by  and  by  when  he  comes  in  glory. 
Those  who  hid  their  faces  from  him  in  humiliation  and  suffering  will 
call  on  the  very  rocks  to  hide  them  from  the  face  of  him  that  sitteth 
on  the  throne  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb.  (Rev.  vi,  16.)  The 
reason  for  this  dislike  and  aversion  to  Christ  may  probably  be  found 
in  the  fact  of  (i)  his  sorrowful  face ;  (ii)  his  serious  manner ;  (iii)  his 
spiritual  teaching ;  (iv)  his  consecration  to  his  Father's  business ;  (v) 
his  single  walk  with  God,  his  habits  of  retirement  and  prayer.  Men 
hate  and  reject  Christ  for  these  characteristics.  The  world's  spirit 
and  all  worldly  religion  resent  these  aspects  of  spiritual  life. 

4. — "  Stricken,  smitten  of  God,  and  afflicted." — To  the  outward 
appearance  the  hand  of  God  was  against  him,  and  so  far  he  was  dis- 
credited in  the  eyes  of  the  world.  The  offense  of  the  cross  is  still 
apparent  whenever  the  shameful  sufferings  of  Christ  are  presented 
to  men.  He  was  left  apparently  abandoned  and  deserted  by  both 
man  and  God,  taken  from  arrest  (prison)  to  judgment,  numbered 
with  the  transgressors,  cut  off  from  the  land  of  the  living,  and 
appointed  to  have  a  grave  with  the  malefactors,  from  which  he  was 
only  rescued  by  the  interposition  of  two  timid  friends.  Was  there 
ever  such  an  apparent  contradiction  of  his  high  claims  as  seen  in  his 
awful  and  universal  desertion  and  death?  It  is  not  flesh  and  blood 
that  sees  or  teaches  us  that  this  suffering  and  humiliated  man  is 
the  Son  of  God ;  this  the  Father  in  heaven  only  can  reveal.  A  thief 
and  a  centurion  saw  it,  but  not  his  own  people,  or  even  his  own  dis- 
cix>les. 

IL— THE    SUFFERING   MESSIAH. 

In  the  vivid,  tender,  and  matchless  account  of  the  sufferings  of 
Messiah  as  detailed  by  the  prophet,  all  the  mysteries  of  the  atone- 
ment of  our  Lord  are  brought  out. 

1. — For  whom  did  he  suffer  ? — It  is  evident  that  this  suffering 
man  did  not  suffer  on  his  own  account,  for  there  is  no  hint  that  he 
did  any  sin,  nor  was  there  deceit  found  in  his  mouth.  The  sorrows, 
griefs,  and  afflictions  that  marked  his  life,  and  the  death  that  cut 
him  off  were  not  brought  about  by  any  transgressions  of  his.  The 
sixth,  eighth,  and  twelfth  verses  tell  us  why  and  for  whom  he  suf- 
ered.  "For  the  transgression  of  my  people  was  he  stricken." 
"The  Lord  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all."  "He  bare  the  sins 
of  many,  and  made  intercession  for  the  transgressors."  Here  then 
is  the  reason.     "All  we,  like  sheep,  have  gone  astray;  we  have 


40  THE   SUFFERING  SAVIOUR. 

turned  every  one  to  his  own  way."  "Whether  this  refers  to  Israel  as 
a  people  or  to  all  sinners,  it  is  equally  true,  for  all  men  have  sinned 
and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God,  both  collectively  and  individu- 
ally. All  have  gone  astray,  and  each  one  has  followed  the  devices 
and  desires  of  his  own  heart.  If  he  did  no  sin,  then  neither  death 
nor  suffering  had  any  claim  against  him ;  yet  we  see  him  suffering 
and  dying,  and  that  under  the  hand  of  God.  It  must  he  then  that 
he  died  for  some  one  else's  sin.  It  was  for  us  he  died.  Surely  this 
is  the  central  truth  of  the  great  redemption,  so  far  as  the  sufferings 
of  Christ  are  concerned.  "He  died,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he 
might  bring  us  to  God."  " He  was  made  a  curse  for  us."  "God 
made  him  to  be  sin  for  us  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made 
the  righteousness  of  God  in  him."  Let  us  draw  near  then  and  behold 
our  sin  and  guilt  as  we  see  it  laid  on  this  holy  and  sinless  sufferer ; 
let  us  learn  God's  judgment  of  it,  and  see  our  only  way  to  justifica- 
tion and  cleansing. 

2. — His  sufferings  were  vicarious. — The  prophet  gives  us  twelve 
distinct  items  in  the  enumeration  of  the  sum  of  the  Saviour's  suffer- 
ings. We  may  but  just  call  attention  to  them.  "He  hath  borne 
our  griefs."  "He  hath  carried  our  sorrows."  " He  was  wounded 
for  our  transgressions."  "He  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities." 
"The  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  on  him."  "With  his  stripes 
are  we  healed."  "  The  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all." 
"For  the  transgression  of  my  people  was  he  stricken."  "Thou 
shalt  make  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin."  "He  shall  bear  their 
iniquities."  "He  hath  poured  out  his  soul  unto  death."  "He  bare 
the  sins  of  many."  In  all  these  passages  except  two,  and  in  them 
by  implication,  his  sufferings  are  distinctly  said  to  be  not  only  for 
us,  but,  if  language  means  anything,  in  our  place  and  stead.  The 
chastisement  was  due  for  our  peace.  "Wounded  for  our  transgres- 
sions "  cannot  mean  anything  else  than  this.  It  has  been  the  faith 
of  the  Church  in  all  ages  that  thus  Christ  "bare  in  our  sins  his  own 
body"  (I.  Pet.  ii,  24) ;  and  that  "he  was  delivered  for  our  offenses" 
(Rom.  iv,  25) ;  that  in  fact  he  was  made  sin  for  us ;  and  that  his 
death  expiated  our  sins,  and  so  made  it  possible  for  us  to  be  recon- 
ciled to  God.  The  intense  and  bitter  opposition  to  this  soul-resting 
and  peace-speaking  truth  is  the  most  absurd  and  unreasonable,  for 
the  reason  that  in  a  very  great  measure  we  aret constantly  doing  the 
same  thing  for  each  other  in  things  pertaining  to  this  life.  This 
chapter  more  than  any  other  in  the  Bible  has  been  the  house  of 
mercy  to  souls  wherein  Jesus  has  met  them  and  bade  them  be  whole, 
and  take  up  their  beds  and  go  to  their  own  house. 


MESSIAH'S   REWARD.  41 

3. — The  Father's  hand  in  the  transaction. — It  is  remarkable  how 
the  prophet  brings  out  this  solemn  and  important  truth.  "The 
Lord  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all ; "  caused  all  our  iniquities 
to  meet  on  him.  "It  pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him."  His  death 
was  no  accident ;  no  heading  up  in  calamity  of  the  untoward  circum- 
stances which  surrounded  him.  The  Jews  did  with  wicked  hands 
take  and  crucify  him ;  but  it  was  according  to  the  determinate  coun- 
sel and  foreknowledge  of  God  (Acts  ii,  23),  for  he  was  a  Lamb  slain 
from  before  the  foundation  of  the  world. 

4. — His  own  patient  and  active  acquiescence  in  the  suffering. — ■ 
It  is  often  alleged  that  the  holiest  principles  of  justice  are  outraged 
in  this  interpretation  of  the  death  of  Christ ;  that  it  is  unjust  and 
immoral  for  God  to  cause  his  innocent  Son  to  suffer  for  man's  sin. 
But  such  forget  that  Jesus  was  as  active  in  his  willingness  to  take 
upon  himself  our  sins  and  suffer  and  die  for  us  as  the  Father  was  in 
giving  him  up  to  bear  the  sin  of  the  world  and  expiate  it  by  his 
death.  Therefore  when  his  hour  was  come  he  "opened  not  his 
mouth"  in  protest  or  remonstrance.  "He  is  brought  as  a  lamb  to 
the  slaughter,  and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he 
opened  not  his  mouth."  "He  hath  poured  out  his  soul  unto  death." 
Passive  in  allowing  himself  to  be  brought  to  the  cross  on  which  he 
was  offered,  he  was  active  in  the  offering,  pouring  out  his  own  soul 
unto  death.  "He  through  the  Eternal  Spirit  offered  up  himself  to 
God."  (Heb.  ix,  14.)  "The  Good  Shepherd  giveth  his  life  for  the 
sheep."  "No  man  taketh  it  (my  life)  from  me.  I  have  power  to 
lay  it  down  and  I  have  power  to  take  it  again."  (John  x,  11,  18.) 
Speaking  of  Christ's  sacrifice  for  him,  Paul  says:  "The  Son  of  God 
who  loved  me  and  gave  himself  for  me."  (Gal.  ii,  20.)  What  more 
do  we  want  in  the  way  of  redemption  than  is  here  offered  us  ?  Let 
us  take  it  as  freely  as  it  is  given,  and  rejoice  in  the  love  and  grace  of 
the  Father  and  the  Son  and  the  Spirit  by  whom  it  was  all  accom- 
plished. 

III.— MESSIAH'S  REWARD. 

We  not  only  see  the  suffering  of.  Messiah  here,  but  also  his 
reward.  "Wherefore  God  also  hath  highly  exalted  him  and  given 
him  a  name  which  is  above  every  name."  (Phil,  ii,  9.)  Let  us  see 
what  are  his  rewards. 

1. — He  shall  prolong  his  days. — That  is,  though  he  poured  out  his 
soul  unto  death  and  was  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the  living,  God, 
by  raising  him  from  the  dead,  prolonged  his  days  eternally.  He 
dieth  no  more.     A  mere  earthly  or  human  Messiah  might  have  lived 


42  THE   SUFFERING   SAVIOUR. 

longer  than  Christ,  but  death  would  have  ended  his  reign ;  Christ's 
reign  in  resurrection  glory  is  forever.  He  was  dead,  behold  he  is 
alive  forever  more. 

2. — He  shall  see  his  seed. — "  Who  shall  declare  his  generation?" 
is  a  question  asked  in  view  of  his  cutting  off.  Christ  had  no  natural 
descendants,  but  through  faith  in  him  he  has  a  generation  of  spirit- 
ual children  whom  no  man  can  number.  "  Behold  I  and  the  children 
which  God  hath  given  me."  (Heb.  ii,  12,  13.)  We  are  the  genera- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ.     Let  us  walk  worthy  of  him. 

3. — He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  and  be  satisfied. — He 
shall  not  be  disappointed.  He  died  to  save  sinners.  He  will  see 
them  saved  in  multitudes.  He  is  so  seeing  them  saved.  Even  in 
this  dark  land  of  India,  where  I  am  writing  and  preaching  the  Gospel 
of  Christ,  his  children  are  coming  to  him.  ' '  All  that  the  Father  giv- 
eth  me  shall  come  to  me."  He  shall  bo  satisfied  with  the  number  of 
them ;  he  shall  be  satisfied  with  the  glorious  character  which  he  will 
work  out  in  them ;  he  shall  be  satisfied  with  the  place  they  shall 
occupy  in  his  glory  with  him. 

4. — He  shall  divide  the  spoil  with  the  strong. — This  is  a  strong 
example  of  the  accommodation  of  language.  It  does  not  mean  alone 
that  he  will  win  a  share  of  the  human  race  in  this  battle  for  the  sal- 
vation of  souls;  but  that,, among  the  great  conquerors  of  the  world, 
Jesus  will  be  seen  to  be  a  conqueror  mightier  than  all  the  strong 
ones.  God  has  given  him  a  name  that  is  above  every  name.  I  have 
no  doubt,  when  we  are  with  him  in  glory,  we  will  be  amazed  at  the 
number  and  glory  of  the  redeemed ;  far  above  our  most  vivid  expec- 
tation will  heaven  be  filled  with  the  multitude  of  the  redeemed,  all 
washed  and  made  white  and  clean  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  "Even 
so  come,  Lord  Jesus." 


February  7,  1892. 


VI. 

THE    GRACIOUS    CALL— Isaiah    Iv,    1-13. 

(1)  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no 
money  ;  come  ye,  buy,  and  eat ;  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and 
without  price.  (2)  Wherefore  do  ye  spend  money  for  that  which  is  not  bread  ?  and 
your  labor  for  that  which  satisfieth  not  ?  hearken  diligently  unto  me,  and  eat  ye  that 
which  is  good,  and  let  your  soul  delight  itself  in  fatness.  (3)  Incline  your  ear,  and 
come  unto  me :  hear,  and  your  soul  shall  live  ;  and  I  will  make  an  everlasting  cove- 
nant with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies  of  David.  (4)  Behold,  I  have  given  him  for  a 
witness  to  the  people,  a  leader  and  commander  to  the  people.  (5)  Behold,  thou 
shalt  call  a  nation  that  thou  knowest  not,  and  nations  that  knew  not  thee  shall  run 
unto  thee,  because  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  for  the  Holy  One  of  Israel ;  for  he  hath 
glorified  thee.  (G)  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found,  call  ye  upon  him  while 
he  is  near  :  (7)  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his 
thoughts  :  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him  : 
and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon.  (8)  For  my  thoughts  are  not  your 
thoughts,  neither  are  your  ways  my  ways,  saith  the  Lord.  (9)  For  as  the  heavens  are 
higher  than  the  earth,  so  are  my  ways  higher  than  your  ways,  and  my  thoughts  than 
your  thoughts.  (10)  For  as  the  rain  cometh  down,  and  the  snow  from  heaven,  and 
returnethnot  thither,  but  watereth  the  earth,  and  maketh  it  bring  forth  and  bud,  that 
it  may  give  seed  to  the  sower,  and  bread  to  the  eater  :  (11)  So  shall  my  word  be  that 
goeth  forth  out  of  my  month  :  it  shall  not  return  unto  me  void,  but  it  shall  accomplish 
that  which  I  please,  and  it  shall  prosper  in  the  thing  whereto  I  sent  it.  (12)  For  ye 
shall  go  out  with  joy,  and  be  led  forth  with  peace  :  the  mountains  and  the  hills  shall 
break  forth  before  you  into  singing,  and  all  the  trees  of  the  field  shall  clap  their 
hands.  (13)  Instead  of  the  thorn  shall  come  up  the  fir  tree,  and  instead  of  the  brier 
shall  come  up  the  myrtle  tree  :  and  it  shall  be  to  the  Lord  for  a  name,  for  an  ever- 
lasting sign  that  shall  not  be  cut  off  .—Isaiah  Iv,  1-13. 

We  have  before  remarked  that  Isaiah's  conceptions  of  the  Mes- 
siah's kingdom  not  only  steadily  enlarged,  "but  in  a  very  marked  degree 
advanced  in  spirituality.  He  saw  indeed  other  nations  incorporated, 
or  at  least  flowing  into  Israel  under  the  blessings  of  Messiah's  reign, 
but  he  also  saw  that  the  blessings  of  that  reign  were  to  be  more  and 
greater  than  mere  temporal  prosperity,  with  external  peace  as  to  the 
surrounding  nations.  He  saw  an  inward  condition  of  heart  and 
mind,  a  peace  that  pertained  to  the  individual  who  trusted  in 
Jehovah  and  stayed  himself  on  the  Rock  of  Ages.  In  our  last  study 
we  saw  the  Messiah  as  a  suffering  substitute  for  sinners  ;  ' '  pouring 
out  his  soul  unto  death,  being  numbered  with  the  transgressors; 

43 


44  THE   GRACIOUS   CALL. 

bearing  the  sin  of  many  and  making  intercession  for  the  trans- 
gressors." In  this  chapter  there  is  a  Gospel  appeal  to  "every  one" 
to  accept  that  Saviour  who  is  made  a  Witness  and  a  Leader  to  the 
people.  The  way  of  acceptance  is  not  by  an  external  submission  to 
a  conquering  king,  but  by  a  subjective  hearing  and  coming  of  the 
thirsty  and  hungry  soul  to  one  who  can  and  will  satisfy  those  innate 
spiritual  longings.  Tho  second  or  last  half  of  the  chapter  shows 
how,  on  the  other  hand,  we  must  forsake  our  sins  and  abandon  our 
wrong  thoughts  and  come  to  Jehovah,  as  manifested  in  Christ,  for 
pardon  and  mercy.  This  is  an  entirely  new  revelation,  and  sets  the 
Gospel  in  sharp  apposition  to  the  law,  which  tells  how  the  condition 
of  temporal  blessing  depends  upon  the  external  doing  of  God's  com- 
mandments.    (Deut.  xxviii,  1,  seq.) 

I.— THE   OPEN  PROCLAMATION. 

The  Gospel  in  Isaiah  is  strikingly  like  that  in  the  Acts  and  Epis- 
tles. One  might  almost  think,  if  left  to  his  own  resources,  that 
these  prophecies  were  modeled  on  the  preaching  of  Paul  rather  than 
anticipating  him  by  nearly  eight  hundred  years.  But  it  was  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  in  the  prophet  which  did  signify  these  things  to  him. 
In  this  proclamation  we  see  appeal,  remonstrance,  exhortation, 
explanation,  promise.     Let  us  look  at  them  in  order. 

1. — The  appeal. — "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth."  This  is  a  rous- 
ing cry  to  people  who  are  consumed  with  unsatisfied  desire.  The 
anguish  and  distress  of  hunger  and  thirst  are  the  most  painful  and 
bitter  of  the  sufferings  that  come  to  man.  The  prophet  evidently 
refers  to  inward  want  and  distress  of  mind,  and  not  to  bodily  hunger 
and  thirst,  for  the  reason  that  he  offers  his  wares  not  on  barter  as 
greedy  tradesmen  offer  them  in  times  of  distress,  nor  to  hand  and 
mouth,  but  to  eye  and  ear ;  that  is,  he  clearly  shows  that  what  ho 
offers  is  to  be  applied  inwardly  and  not  outwardly,  is  remedy  for  the 
mind  and  not  for  the  body.  His  address  is  to  every  one,  and  yet  its 
limitations  imply  that  out  of  the  mass  to  whom  this  proclamation 
comes,  there  will  be  but  some  who  will  hear  and  heed.  Yet  there 
are  always  some  thirsty  souls  longing  for  water.  This  is  like  the  cry 
of  Jesus,  who  stood  on  the  last  great  day  of  the  feast  and  cried : 
"If  any  man  thirst  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink."  ( John  vii, 
37.)  "Come  ye  to  the  waters."  The  Bible  is  very  rich  in  symbol- 
isms, and  water  is  one  of  the  most  familiar,  striking,  and  refreshing 
among  them  all.  Here  is  a  beautiful  illustration  from  a  former 
utterance  of  our  prophet:    "I  will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is 


THE   OPEN  PKOCLAMATION.  45 

thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the  dry  ground  ;  I  will  put  my  spirit  upon  thy 
seed  and  my  blessing  upon  thine  offering ;  and  they  shall  spring  up 
as  among  the  grass  and  willows  by  the  water-courses."  Water 
stands  for  almost  every  manifestation  of  God's  grace  to  sinners,  as 
far  as  inward  soul-satisfying  portion  and  energy  goes.  It  is  pre- 
sented to  us  under  all  forms  as  simple  ''water,"  as  "rain,"  as 
"dew,"  as  "steams,"  as  "floods."  (xxxv,  6;  xliii,  20;  xliv,  3,  4;  v, 
6;  xxx,  23;  lv,  10;  xxvi,  19;  xli,  18;  xliii,  19;  xxx,  25;  xxxv,  G.) 
"When  our  Lord  came  he  took  up  this  symbolism  and  applied  it  him- 
self to  himself,  and  that  which  he  came  to  give.  (John  iii,  5 ;  iv, 
10,  11,  13-15;  vii,  37-39.)  One  of  the  sweetest  hymns  of  the  mod- 
ern Church  is  that  of  Horatius  Bonar  : 

"  I  heard  the  voice  of  Jesus  say  :  Behold  I  freely  give 
The  living  water,  thirsty  one,  stoop  down,  and  drink,  and  live. 
I  came  to  Jesus  and  I  drank  of  that  life-giving  stream  ; 
My  thirst  was  quenched,  my  soul  revised,  and  now  I  live  in  Him." 

Next  the  prophet  offers  "wine  and  milk."  These  are  not  the 
symbols  of  temporal  blessings.  "Wine,  water,  and  milk,"  says  Dal- 
itzsch,  "are  the  figurative  representations  of  spiritual  revival, 
recreation,  and  nourishment."  Wine  is  the  sybmol  of  gladness. 
(Judges  ix,  13  ;  II.  Sam.  xiii,  28 ;  Ps.  civ,  15.)  Men  sometimes  drink 
wine  to  drown  their  sorrows,  but  the  wine  of  the  Spirit  cheers  them ; 
men  get  drunk  on  wine  in  the  vain  hope  that  therein  they  will  find 
pleasure,  but  to  be  filled  with  the  Spirit  is  to  be  filled  with  blessed  joy. 
Milk  is  the  symbol  of  nourishment.  (Deut.  xxxii,  14 ;  Judges  iv, 
19;  v,  25;  I.  Cor.  ix,  7.)  Here  we  have  then  that  which  makes  us 
glad,  fills  us  with  joy,  nourishes  our  bodies  and  causes  us  to  grow. 
Especially  are  these  two  symbolic  blessings  meet  for  those  who  are 
fainting  and  dying,  to  revive  them  and  give  them  the  first  food  they 
need.  These  blessings  are  not  for  sale,  they  are  the  free  gift  of  God 
to  sinners.  "Buy  and  eat,  without  money  and  without  price." 
This  is  a  new  kind  of  selling,  and  a  new  kind  of  buying.  But  then 
all  God's  ways  are  new  to  this  world.  He  introduced  an  altogether 
new  fashion  of  life  and  salvation  to  man.  Who  offers  things  for 
sale  without  price  and  without  money  but  our  gracious  God  ?  Who, 
having  no  money,  buys  and  possesses  himself  of  things  absolutely 
indispensable  to  life  and  salvation  but  the  sinner  to  whom  the  Gos- 
pel is  sent? 

2. — The  remonstrance. — The  prophet,  having  appealed  to  the 
people  to  buy  his  wares,  now  remonstrates  with  them  for  a  course 
of  folly  in  spending  their  money,  which  he  does  not  want,  on  things 


46  THE   GRACIOUS  CALL. 

which  will  not  and  cannot  satisfy.  In  fact,  he  cries  down  his  oppo- 
nent's goods  and  competes  with  them.  Men  throughout  the  whole 
world  are  deluded  with  the  belief  that  vast  earthly  possessions,  and 
the  things  which  gratify  the  body,  such  as  eating  and  drinking  and 
taking  pleasure  in  carnal  things,  will  make  them  happy.  But  the 
prophet  remonstrates  with  them  for  weighing  out  their  silver  for 
larger  houses  and  wider  fields,  and  laboring  in  the  vain  pursuit  of 
happiness  in  connection  with  things  of  this  world.  How  true  was 
his  remonstrance,  witness  the  testimony  of  Solomon,  who  sought 
satisfaction  in  the  things  of  this  world  which  he  obtained,  more  than 
any  other  man  that  ever  lived,  with  vast  expenditure  of  money  and 
great  labor,  only  to  declare  that  they  were  vanity  and  vexation  of 
spirit. 

3. — The  exhortation. — Having  remonstrated  with  them  for  a 
course  of  folly,  he  now  offers  them  a  better  way.  "Hearken  dili- 
gently unto  me."  I  have  that  to  offer  you  which  is  essential  good; 
which  will  delight  your  soul  (not  your  body)  with  fatness.  It  is  that 
which  will  give  you  life  indeed  and  confer  upon  you  all  the  sure 
mercies  of  David.  Not  the  fleeting  glories  which  had  their  accom- 
paniments of  trouble  and  sorrow,  but  the  sure  and  abiding  blessings 
of  forgiveness,  peace,  happiness,  righteousness,  and  likeness  to  God 
in  Christ.  All  these  things  are  offered  by  the  prophet.  They  are 
not  obtained  by  purchase  or  good  works,  but  by  believing  and  trust- 
ing in  God.  " Hearken."  "Incline  your  ear."  "Hear."  These 
words  remind  us  of  the  words  of  Jesus :  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
you,  he  that  heareth  my  words,  and  believeth  him  that  sent  me,  hath 
everlasting  life,  and  shall  not  come  into  the  judgment,  but  is  passed 
from  death  unto  life."  Here  are  the  sure  mercies  of  David,  offered 
to  the  believing  hearer. 

4. — The  method. — The  prophet  now  calls  the  people's  especial 
attention  to  the  method  of  Jehovah  in  conferring  these  spiritual 
blessings  upon  them.  He  introduces  this  thought  by  the  word 
"Behold,"  which  always  indicates  something  of  special  importance, 
like  our  Lord's  word,  "Verily."  "Behold  I  have  given  him  for  a 
witness  to  the  people.  A  leader  and  commander."  Who  is  this  wit- 
ness? Certainly  it  refers  to  the  Messiah,  the  coming  one.  Jesus  is 
the  true  witness  of  God  to  men.  He  has  brought  the  life-giving 
word  to  us,  and  bears  witness  to  the  truth.  (John  viii,  14-30. )  God 
also  bare  witness  to  him  that  he  was  the  true  witness  when  he  trans- 
figured him  on  the  mount  and  spake  from  heaven,  saying :  "  This  is 
my  beloved  Son,  hear  ye  him."  (Matt,  xvii,  5.)  What  untold  bless- 
ings come  to  men  who  hear  the  testimony  of  this  great  God-sent 


THE   METHOD   OF   GRACE.  47 

Witness,  believe  bis  testimony,  and  act  upon  it.  Tben  be  is 
''Leader  and  Commander."  It  is  not  only  that  we  are  to  bear,  but 
also  to  follow  and  obey.  "If  any  man  will  be  my  disciple,  let  him 
deny  himself,  take  up  his  cross,  and  come  after  me."  And  again, 
"He  that  followeth  me  shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but  have  the  light 
of  life."  So  he  is  the  Commander,  and  blessed  is  the  man  who  does 
what  he  bids.  "Whatsoever  he  saith  unto  you  do  it,"  was  his 
mother's  word  to  the  servants  at  the  marriage  feast  at  Cana,  and  he 
says  to  us  :  "  Therefore  whosoever  heareth  these  sayings  of  mine  and 
doeth  them  shall  be  likened  unto  a  wise  man  which  built  his  house 
upon  a  rock."  (Matt,  vii,  21-29.)  True  hearing  always  leads  to 
true  faith,  and  true  faith  always  shows  itself  in  true  obedience. 

5. — The  promise. — The  prophet  now  promises  to  those  who  hear 
his  word  and  enter  into  the  blessings  of  it  a  great  thing,  which  again 
he  introduces  with  "Behold."  "Thou  shalt  call  a  nation  that  thou 
kuowest  not ;  and  nations  that  knew  not  thee  shall  run  unto  thee." 
Here  is  the  prophecy  of  the  increase  of  Messiah's  kingdom  by  means 
of  spiritual  multiplication.  If  this  promise  is  first  of  all  one  made 
to  Messiah  himself,  as  supposed  by  some,  it  is  no  less  true  of  his 
people,  with  whom  he  is  in  all  things  closely  identified.  We  have 
only  to  compare  this  promise  with  Psalm  xviii,  43,  and  Eom.  x,  to  see 
its  drift.  If  we  are  to  understand  this  increase  to  be  brought  about 
by  means  of  the  co-operation  of  the  people  with  their  Witness  and 
Leader,  we  can  see  the  force  of  that  beautiful  passage  in  John  vii, 
37-39,  in  which  we  are  told  that,  having  drunken  of  the  living  water 
ourselves,  there  shall  then  flow  out  of  us  streams  of  that  living  water 
unto  others.  This  is  the  divine  method  for  inceasing  the  kingdom 
of  Messiah.  First  we  hear  the  words  of  the  great  Witness,  and  then 
we  become  his  witnesses  to  the  whole  world,  who  through  our  wit- 
ness shall  themselves  believe, — as  many  of  them,  at  least,  as  "gladly 
receive  our  word."  (Luke  xxiv,  48;  Acts  ii,  41.)  The  attraction 
will  be  the  glorified  Christ :  "For  he  hath  glorified  thee,"  by  raising 
Jesus  from  the  dead  and  setting  him  at  his  right  hand  in  heaven. 
(Acts  ii,  32-35  ;  iii,  13-15.)  Our  witness  then  is  everywhere  to  Jesus 
andjthe  resurrection.     (Acts  xi,  19;  xvii,  18.) 

II.— THE  METHOD   OF   GRACE. 

Having  set  forth  the  purpose  of  God  to  provide  spiritual  bless- 
ings for  the  people  through  Jesus  Christ,  the  prophet  now  proceeds 
to  show  the  people  what  are  some  of  the  essential  conditions  of  these 
blessings.     He  has  before  shown  them  where  they  are  to  be  had ; 


48  THE   GRACIOUS   CALL. 

that  is,  in  Jehovah,  through  the  great  Witness  who  had  previously 
suffered  for  them,  bearing  their  iniquities  (liii) ;  now  he  shows  them 
that  the  life  involved  is  a  life  inconsistent  with  wickedness  and 
worldly  wisdom. 

1. — What  we  are  to  do. — Four  things  are  mentioned.  In  the- 
previous  part  he  has  bidden  the  people  to  hear  and  hearken,  now  he 
bids  them  (i)  "  Seek  the  Lord,  while  he  may  be  found."  Two  things 
are  implied  in  this.  First,  that  he  who  comes  seeking  us  (John  iv, 
23)  must  himself  be  sought.  He  does  not  cast  his  pearls  before 
swine,  but  makes  a  display  of  them,  showing  us  where  they  may  be 
had,  and  then  he  sets  us  on  the  search  for  them.  Not  that  he  hides 
them,  but  that  he  will  have  us  testify  our  sincerity  and  desire.  Men 
seek  after  the  treasures  of  this  world  which,  when  found,  do  not  sat- 
isfy, but  here  are  treasures  much  more  worth,  which  therefore  it  is 
meet  should  be  sought.  Second,  there  is  an  intimation  that  the 
Lord  may  be  found.  "  The  Lord  is  nigh  unto  all  them  that  call  upon 
him,  to  all  that  call  upon  him  in  truth"  (Ps.  cxlv,  18;  xxxiv,  4; 
lxxvii,  2) ;  but  also  another,  that  the  time  for  seeking  will  not  be 
unlimited.  "  While  he  may  be  found."  There  is  a  time  coming 
when  men  shall  seek  him  and  shall  not  find  him.  When  they  shall 
knock  and  vainly  cry,  "Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us  ;  "  but  the  door  will 
be  shut,  (Matt,  xxv,  12;  Prov.  i,  28.)  (ii)  As  we  seek  we  are  to 
"call  upon  him."  This  is  the  natural  method  when  we  are  seeking 
a  person.  If  we  were  seeking  for  things  only  we  would  not  call,  but 
all  our  blessings  are  found  in  "him  "  (Eph.  i,  7) ;  therefore  as  we  seek 
we  are  to  call  upon  him.  The  publican,  when  he  went  up  into  the 
temple  to  seek  the  Lord,  called  upon  him,  saying :  "God  be  merciful 
to  me  a  sinner."  (Luke  xviii,  13.)  "The  Lord  over  all  is  rich  unto 
all  them  that  call  upon  him.  For  whosoever  shall  call  upon  the  Lord 
shall  be  saved."  (Joel  ii,  32;  Rom.  x,  11-13.)  Then  there  is  this 
positive  double  injunction  :  (iii)  "  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way." 
In  God's  salvation  there  is  ho  place  for  deliberate  living  in  wicked- 
ness. It  is  true  that  no  man  can  of  himself  entirely  forsake  wicked- 
ness, for  it  clings  to  us  as  a  part  of  our  very  being ;  but  then,  turning 
to  the  Lord,  we  can  be  willing  to  part  with  our  sins,  as  a  man  who  is 
not  able  to  cure  himself  of  disease  may  be  more  than  willing  to  be 
cured.  "God  commandeth  all  men  everywhere  to  repent."  This  is 
a  part  of  repentance,  (iv)  Then  there  is  this  also,  "and  the  un- 
righteous man  his  thoughts."  I  think  this  must  refer  to  the  wrong 
thoughts,  the  false  philosophies  of  this  world  which  men  take  up  in 
respect  of  God  and  his  ways.  It  is  most  common  for  a  class  of  men 
who  pride  themselves  on  righteousness  to  make  answer  to  God,  but 


THE   INFALLIBLE   WORD.  49 

in  this  fashion  :  "But  I  think,"  or,  "My  opinion  is."  It  is  not  what 
we  think  or  what  our  opinions  are,  but  what  God  has  revealed  to 
us ;  and  we  are  to  bring  our  thinking  into  conformity  with  his  rev- 
elation, for  our  thinking  is  at  best  but  speculation,  whereas  God's  rev- 
elation is  the  certain  and  final  truth.  Wrong-thinking  has  more  to 
do  with  keeping  men  out  of  the  kingdom  than  wicked  ways.  David 
was  right  when  he  said  "I  hate  thoughts." 

2. — Why  are  we  to  do  so  ? — God  has  commanded  that  we  forsake 
our  ways  and  our  thoughts.  Not  only  the  wickedness  but  the  futil- 
ity of  our  ways  ;  not  only  the  iniquity  but  the  errors  of  our  thoughts. 
God  does  not  think  as  man  thinks  or  work  as  man  works.  "My 
thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts,  neither  are  your  ways  my  ways, 
saith  the  Lord."  God's  ways  are  higher  than  ours  as  the  heavens 
are  higher  than  the  earth.  Man  would  save  himself  by  his  own 
works,  but  God's  way  is  to  save  us  by  his  works.  Man  would  come 
to  God  full  of  his  own  merit,  but  God  will  have  us  come  to  him  with 
our  sins.  Man  would  live  to  do,  but  God  says  first  accept  Life  as  my 
gift  and  then  do.  There  is  not  a  step  in  the  way  of  salvation  that 
does  not  proceed  upon  principles  of  truth  entirely  contrary  to  those 
which  by  nature  man  knows  and  accepts.  So  then  we  are  to  hum- 
ble ourselves  and  listen  to  what  God  says,  and  then  abandon  our 
ways  and  accept  his  way. 

ni.— THE   INFALLIBLE   WORD. 

The  God  of  nature  is  the  God  of  grace,  and  so  we  are  constantly 
finding  in  the  Scriptures  the  way  of  God  in  the  spiritual  world  illus- 
trated by  his  working  in  the  natural.  When  God  calls  upon  men  to 
give  up  their  way  of  thinking  and  doing,  and  accept  his  word  and 
way,  they  are  afraid  to  trust  him.  He  appeals  to  certain  fixed  and 
well-known  laws  and  operations  of  nature.  So  he  says :  "As  the 
rain  and  snow  descending  from  heaven  do  not  return  thither  by 
evaporation  until  they  have  accomplished  their  purpose  in  causing 
the  seed  lying  buried  in  the  ground  to  germinate  and  bring  forth  the 
harvest,  for  seed  and  bread,  so  shall  the  word,  that  proceedeth  out 
of  his  mouth,  not  return  without  producing  the  effect  for  which  he 
has  designed  it.  He  has  made  a  promise  to  man ;  he  also  has  de- 
clared the  consequence  of  disobedience.  Men  have  learned  to  trust 
to  the  effect  of  rain  and  snow  upon  the  seed  planted  in  the  earth ; 
but  have  no  confidence  in  the  operation  of  his  word  on  which  they 
may  as  infallibly  rely.  "It  shall  not  return  unto  me  void,  but  it 
shall  accomplish  that  which  I  please  ;  and  it  shall  prosper  in  the  thing 


50  THE   GRACIOUS  CALL. 

whereto  I  sent  it."  We  might  abundantly  illustrate  this  truth  by 
appealing  to  the  promise  and  the  fulfillment  of  the  word  in  the  mat- 
ters which  God  designed.  For  instance,  Jesus  said  of  the  Gospel 
that  it  "  shall  be  preached  in  all  the  world  for  a  witness  unto  all 
nations."  (Matt,  xxiv,  14.)  This  was  uttered  nearly  two  thousand 
years  ago,  and,  humanly  speaking,  it  was  the  most  unlikely  proph- 
ecy ever  uttered,  and  yet  we  are  now  seeing  its  daily  fulfillment. 
The  missionary  enterprise  of  the  Gospel  has  prospered,  and  is 
prospering  as  no  human  enterprise  in  the  world.  The  Gospel  to-day 
is  translated  into  nearly  three  hundred  different  languages  and  dia- 
lects, and  the  heralds  of  the  cross  are  everywhere  preaching  its 
glad  news  to  the  nations  of  the  earth.  A  score  of  Scriptures  twice 
and  ten  times  multiplied,  tell  us  that  whosoever  believeth  on  the 
Son  of  God  shall  be  saved.  Let  the  millions  of  Christians  all  over 
the  world  testify  to  the  saving  and  sanctifying  power  of  the  Gospel. 
(I.  Tim.  i.,  15,  16;  John  i,  11,  12;  v,  24;  James  i,  18;  Eph.  v,  25.) 
There  is  another  thing  whereunto  God's  word  has  been  sent,  namely, 
to  judge  the  world.  "I  am  come  a  light  into  the  world,  that  whoso 
believeth  on  me  should  not  abide  in  darkness.  And  if  any  man  hear 
my  words  and  believe  not,  I  judge  him  not,  for  I  came  not  to  judge 
the  world,  but  to  save  the  world.  He  that  rejecteth  me  and  receiv- 
eth  not  my  words,  hath  one  that  judgeth  him :  the  word  that  I  have 
spoken,  the  same  shall  judge  him  in  the  last  day."  (John  xii,  46- 
48.)  God  has  confirmed  his  word  with  an  oath  (Heb.  vi,  17,  18.), 
that  we  might  put  absolute  confidence  in  it.  Happy  is  the  man  who 
does  so  to  the  extent  of  believing  and  obeying  it ;  and  woe  to  the 
man  who  disregards  it.  Let  all  then  understand  that  the  gracious 
promises  contained  in  this  chapter  may  be  relied  on.  As  we  are 
confident  that  God's  word  in  Nature  (natural  law)  is  infallible,  so 
let  us  be  sure  that  the  word  of  the  same  God  in  the  spiritual  world 
has  the  same  binding  force  and  operative  power. 

IV.— JOYFUL  EFFECTS   OF  BELIEVING. 

The  prophet  closes  his  wonderful  chapter  with  assurances  of 
Jehovah  that  the  people  who  hear  and  believe  his  word  shall  go  forth 
with  joy  and  be  led  forth  with  peace.  Again  he  declares  the  crea- 
tion to  be  in  profound  and  glad  sympathy  with  man.  It  shall  par- 
take of  his  joy,  both  in  its  glad  song,  in  its  regeneration,  and  its 
fruitfulness.  These  concluding  verses  have,  like  those  previous,  a 
primary  reference  to  the  temporal  deliverance  from  captivity,  but 
their  chief  significance   lies   in  their  spiritual  foresight  as  to  the 


JOYFUL   EFFECTS   OF   BELIEVING.  51 

regeneration  of  man  and  Nature.  Under  the  power  of  God,  man 
shall  throw  off  his  captivity  to  Satan  and  sin,  and  go  forth  redeemed 
and  sanctified ;  shall  henceforth  no  more  bring  forth  the  works  of  the 
flesh,  but  yield  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit.  (Gal.  v,  18-25.)  Nature  herself 
shall  cease  to  bring  forth  briers ;  and  the  regenerated  creation — 
earth  and  man — "  shall  be  to  the  Lord  for  a  name,  for  an  everlasting 
sign  that  shall  not  be  cut  off."  Then  shall  "all  men  see  what  is  the 
fellowship  of  the  mystery  which  from  the  beginning  of  the  world 
hath  been  hid  in  God,  who  created  all  things  by  Jesus  Christ ;  to  the 
intent  that  now  unto  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places 
might  be  known  by  the  Church  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God,  accord- 
ing to  the  eternal  purpose  which  he  purposed  in  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord,  in  whom  we  have  boldness  and  access  with  confidence  by  the 
faith  of  him."     (Eph.  iii,  9-13.) 


February  14,  1892. 


VII. 

THE    NEW    COVENANT.— Jeremiah  xxxi,  27-37. 

(27)  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  sow  the  house  of  Israel 
and  the  house  of  Judah  with  the  seed  of  man,  and  with  the  seed  of  beast.  (28)  And 
it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  like  as  I  have  watched  over  them,  to  pluck  up,  and  to 
break  down,  and  to  throw  down,  and  to  destroy,  and  to  afflict ;  so  will  I  watch  over 
them,  to  build,  and  to  plant,  saith  the  Lord.  (29)  In  those  days  they  shall  say  no 
more,  The  fathers  have  eaten  a  sour  grape,  and  the  children's  teeth  are  set  on  edge, 
(30)  But  every  one  shall  die  for  his  own  iniquity  :  every  man  that  eateth  the  sour 
grape,  his  teeth  shall  be  set  on  edge.  (31)  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that 
I  will  make  a  new  covenant  with  the  house  of  Israel,  and  with  the  house  of  Judah  : 
(32)  Not  according  to  the  covenant  that  I  made  with  their  fathers,  in  the  day  that  I 
took  them  by  the  hand  to  bring  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt ;  which  my  covenant 
they  brake,  although  I  was  a  husband  unto  them,  saith  the  Lord  :  (33)  But  this 
shall  be  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the  house  of  Israel  ;  After  those  days, 
saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put  my  law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts  ; 
and  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people.  (34)  And  they  shall  teach  no 
more  every  man  his  neighbor,  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying.  Know  the  Lord:  for 
they  shall  all  know  me.  from  the  least  of  them  unto  the  greatest  of  them,  saith  the 
Lord  :  for  I  will  forgive  their  iniquity,  and  I  will  remember  their  sin  no  more. 
(35)  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  which  giveth  the  sun  for  a  light  by  day,  and  the  ordinances 
of  the  moon  and  of  the  stars  for  a  light  by  night,  which  divideth  the  sea  when  the 
waves  thereof  roar  ;  The  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name  :  (36)  If  those  ordinances  depart 
from  before  me,  saith  the  Lord,  then  the  seed  of  Israel  also  shall  cease  from  being 
a  nation  before  me  for  ever.  (37)  Thus  saith  the  Lord ;  If  heaven  above  can  be 
measured,  and  the  foundations  of  the  earth  searched  out  beneath,  I  will  also  cast 
off  all  the  seed  of  Israel  for  all  that  they  have  done,  saith  the  Lord.— Jeremiah 
xxxi,  27-37. 

Jeremiah  lived  and  prophesied  more  than  an  hundred  years  after 
Isaiah.  He  was  a  sorrowful  prophet,  because  he  was  constantly  the 
bearer  of  heavy  tidings  to  the  people  of  God.  They  had  waxed 
worse  and  worse,  and  so,  as  the  day  of  their  captivity  drew  near,  the 
prophet,  with  loyalty  to  God  and  sincere  affection  for  his  deceived 
and  sin-blinded  people,  continued  through  good  report  and  evil  to  be 
faithful  to  them  in  warning,  rebuke,  and  exhortation.  He  was  a 
man  who  suffered  much  for  the  truth,  but  suffered  gladly,  though 
with  a  sorrowful  heart, — sorrowful  more  for  the  people  than  for  him- 
self. When  the  captivity  came  he  went  with  his  people  into  it,  and 
continued  with  them  in  Babylon.     The  chapter  from  which  our  study 

52 


THE   NEW   PLANTATION.  53 

is  selected  is  one  in  which  there  is  a  rift  in  the  dark  and  lowering 
clouds  of  heavy  prophecy.  The  particular  portion  of  the  chapter 
under  study  is  the  only  clear  evangelical  declaration  in  the  book. 
It  reads  more  like  Isaiah  than  Jeremiah.  It  must  have  been  a  great 
gladness  to  that  sad-hearted  and  sorrowful  prophet  to  have  this 
glimpse  of  coming  restoration  and  grace  for  his  sinful  and  sorely 
afflicted  people.  He  was  all  the  more  glad  to  pour  in  this  balsam 
because  he  had  hitherto  been  giving  them  salt  for  their  wounds 
and  wormwood  to  drink.  The  prophet  seems  to  have  had  his  pre- 
vious visions  in  sleep  (v.  26),  and  he  found  that  sleep  sweet  to  him ; 
for  in  it  he  had  seen  things  that  comforted  his  soul  as  well  as 
satiated  and  replenished  other  weary  souls  (v.  25).  Whether  he 
went  to  sleep  again  and  saw  this  marvelous  truth  concerning  the 
new  covenant  does  not  appear.  But  it  is  certain  that  he  is  the  first 
to  see  the  fact  of  the  new  covenant  of  grace  in  its  relation  to  the  old 
covenant,  and  the  condition  of  the  people  under  it. 

I.— THE   NEW   PLANTATION. 

Hitherto  it  had  been  his  sad  and  sorrowful  duty  to  declare  to  the 
people  God's  purpose  to  "root  out,  to  pull  down,  and  to  destroy  and 
throw  down  " ;  but  now  the  time  has  come  to  fulfill  his  task  of  de- 
claring God's  purpose  to  "build  and  to  plant."  (i,  10.)  The  devas- 
tation of  the  land  of  Israel  and  Judah  had  been  complete,  the  slain 
of  the  people  vast  in  numbers  ;  the  utter  taking  away  and  dispersing 
of  the  ten  tribes  had  left  but  a  remnant  even  before  the  captivity  of 
Judah.  The  promise  of  a  restoration  of  Judah  to  the  land  would  be, 
even  when  fulfilled,  but  the  return  of  a  mere  handful  of  people  and 
cattle.  So  small,  indeed,  that  the  land  would  still  seem  to  be  des- 
olate for  want  of  inhabitants,  and  in  poverty,  for  want  of  cattle.  In 
view  of  this  very  discouraging  outlook,  the  prophet  speaks  this  most 
comforting  promise. 

1.— The  sowing.— "I  will  sow  the  house  of  Israel  and  the  house 
of  Judah  with  the  seed  of  man,  and  with  the  seed  of  beast."  The 
same  promise  was  made  to  Israel  and  Judah  by  Ezekiel  (xxxvi,  9- 
11),  and  by  Hosea  (ii,  23).  This  promise  seems  to  include  the  gather- 
ing in  of  the  Gentiles  as  well,  just  as  the  same  covenant  promise  is 
made  to  them  as  to  the  returned  Jews.  The  figure  is  one  of  the 
greatest  encouragement.  The  remnant  of  the  people  and  cattle  are 
as  the  handful  of  seed  for  the  ground,  but  God  will  so  bless  them 
that  they  shall  increase  like  seed  sown  before  a  great  harvest  that 
shall  fill  the  land.     The  same  thought  is  expressed  in  Psalm  lxxii,  1G  : 


51  THE   NEW  COVENANT. 

"There  shall  be  a  handful  of  corn  in  the  earth  on  the  top  of  the 
mountains  ;  the  fruit  thereof  shall  shake  like  Lebanon  ;  and  they  of 
the  city  shall  nourish  like  grass  of  the  earth."  This  prophecy  was 
scarcely  realized  in  the  return  from  Babylon,  but  it  had  the  begin- 
ning of  its  fulfillment  then.  Like  almost  all  the  other  predictions 
of  final  blessing  and  glory  in  connection  with  Messiah's  reign,  it 
looked  beyond  the  time  of  the  return,  to  the  second  coming  of 
Christ,  when  all  the  scattered  Jews  shall  be  gathered  into  their  own 
land,  and  the  Gentile  nations  shall  also  be  incorporated  with  them 
and  become  joint  heirs  with  them  of  the  promises  of  God.  There  is 
a  suggestion  here  of  the  method  of  multiplication  of  the  people,  as 
seed  sown  in  the  ground  multiplies  into  a  great  harvest,  so  shall  liv- 
ing Christians  multiply  themselves  in  those  whom  they  are  the 
means  of  converting  to  God.  How  Andrew  multiplied  himself  when 
he  found  Peter,  who  after  was  the  means  of  winning  three  thousand 
souls  at  one  preaching.  Stephen  multiplied  himself  through  Saul  of 
Tarsus.  In  this  latter  case  seed  was  literally  sown  in  the  ground, 
and  out  of  the  martyr  blood  sprung  the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles. 

2. — The  watching. — "And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  like  as  I 
have  watched  over  them  to  pluck  up,"  etc.,  "so  will  I  watch  over 
them  to  build  and  to  plant,  saith  the  Lord."  The  growth  of  God's 
kingdom  in  the  earth  among  men  is  not  a  mere  process  of  nature. 
It  goes  on  in  the  power  of  God's  special  and  supernatural  gifts  of 
grace,  and  is  carried  forward  under  his  watchful  eye  and  fostering 
care.  Not  one  least  convert  makes  his  appearance  in  the  world  but 
that  God  watches  over  him  to  protect  and  defend.  His  promise  is 
that  "their  soul  shall  be  as  a  watered  garden."  (v.  12.)  It  is  com- 
forting to  know  that  God's  promise  of  grace  and  favor  is  as  true  as 
his  threats  have  proved.  He  warned  the  people  that  he  would  pluck 
up  and  cast  down  and  destroy  and  root  up.  (i,  10.)  This  he  had 
done  most  thoroughly  and  completely  until  the  land  had  been  shaved 
as  with  a  razor.  They  had  in  their  misery  and  desolation  the  evi- 
dence of  God's  faithfulness  to  his  word.  Now  let  them  know  that 
he  would  be  as  true  to  his  promise.  If  sin  has  abounded  to  our  ruin, 
let  us  know  that  grace  doth  much  more  abound  to  our  salvation. 

3. — The  new  individual  relation  between  God  and  the  people. — 
The  saying  which  the  prophet  alludes  to  :  "The  fathers  have  eaten 
a  sour  grape  and  the  children's  teeth  are  set  on  edge,"  shall  no 
longer  be  in  vogue  when  that  day  of  grace  of  which  the  prophet 
speaks  conies.  He  condemns  the  saying,  as  does  Ezekiel.  (xviii, 
1-3.)  There  was  a  certain  truth  in  the  saying,  but  it  had  been  per- 
verted, and  the  entire  proverb  had  been  quoted  in  such  a  way  as  to 


THE   NEW   PLANTATION.  55 

cast  a  reproach  of  injustice  upon  God.  It  is  true  that  God  had  pro- 
claimed that  he  was  a  "jealous  God,  visiting  the  sins  of  the  fathers 
upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation  of  them  that 
hate  me"  (Ex.  xx,  5),  but  he  had  also  distinctly  affirmed  that  this 
great  law  of  entailed  suffering  was  not  meant  to  teach  the  doctrine 
that  God  unjustly  held  the  innocent  children  of  sinful  fathers  guilty 
of  their  fathers'  offense.  The  passage  in  question,  i.  e.,  the  second 
commandment,  distinctly  affirms  that  the  consequences  shall  be  upon 
the  generations  of  them  that  hate  him.  The  same  visitations  which 
shall  come  upon  the  fathers  who  commit  iniquity  shall  come  upon 
their  children  if  they  commit  iniquity ;  there  is  one  rule  for  the 
father  and  for  the  son  even  down  to  remotest  generation.  Again  it 
is  distinctly  affirmed  :  "The  fathers  shall  not  be  put  to  death  for  the 
children,  neither  shall  the  children  be  put  to  death  for  the  fathers  : 
every  man  shall  be  put  to  death  for  his  own  sin."  (Deut.  xxiv,  10.) 
An  illustration  cf  this  law  is  seen  in  II.  Kings  xiv,  6.  Notwithstand- 
ing, the  unbelieving  and  wicked  Jews  had  taken  this  law  of  God  and 
perverted  it  into  a  proverb  which  charged  God  with  injustice.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  there  is  a  law  of  heredity,  both  physical  and  moral, 
to  which  every  one  must  submit.  It  is  impossible  to  shut  one's  eyes 
to  the  fact,  but  then,  according  to  God's  law,  and  especially  accord- 
ing to  his  grace,  moral  responsibility  does  not  attach  to  this  hered- 
itary transmission  of  consequences  unless  the  heir  consents  to  the 
father's  sin  and  walks  in  his  way.  Any  individual  descendant  may 
break  the  heredity  at  any  point  he  pleases  by  turning  to  the  Lord. 
It  is  also  true  that  in  former  times  God  dealt  with  the  nation  as 
such,  rather  than  with  individuals.  The  nation's  sin  brought  their 
present  calamities  upon  them,  in  which  many  individually  righteous 
men  suffered ;  but  in  the  days  to  come  the  national  will  give  place  to 
the  individual  relation.  This  for  two  reasons.  First,  the  nation  as 
a  whole  will  have  learned  righteousness  in  that  day,  and  so  it  will 
come  to  pass  that  the  individual  transgressor  will  be  so  conspic- 
uously by  himself,  that  it  will  be  seen  at  a  glance  that  his  suffering 
or  judgment  will  rest  upon  the  fact  of  his  own  sin.  Hitherto  the 
individually  righteous  man  had  been  so  rare  in  the  nation  that  ho 
was  overlooked  and  swept  away  in  the  tide  of  the  nation's  punish- 
ment, just  as  Caleb  and  Joshua  were  carried  back  into  the  wilder- 
ness for  forty  years,  with  the  whole  unbelieving  nation.  But,  sec- 
ond, there  is  a  distinct  advance  in  thought  by  the  prophet  in  the 
direction  of  that  individuality  of  relation  which  characterizes  the 
new  covenant  in  distinction  from  that  which  was  so  apparent  in  the 
old.     Under  the  lav/  the  oneness  and  entirety  of  the  nation  was 


56  THE   NEW   COVENANT. 

maintained ;  under  the  Gospel  the  individual  soul  is  "brought  before 
God.  "  Every  one  of  us  shall  give  an  account  of  himself  to  God." 
(Rom.  xiv,  12.)  Nothing  could  more  mark  the  great  advance  in' 
thought  than  this  prophetic  declaration ;  nothing  could,  in  the  light 
of  the  New  Testament  revelation,  he  a  greater  proof  of  the  inspira- 
tion of  this  passage  and  the  Spiritual  control  of  the  prophet. 

II.— THE    NEW   COVENANT. 

The  progressive  thought  and  promises  of  the  prophet  in  the  name 
of  Jehovah  must  excite  wonder  at  their  radical  character,  especially 
in  respect  of  the  individuality  which  he  had  just  proclaimed.  As  if 
to  explain  and  justify  his  new  doctrine,  he  announces  the  fact  of  a 
new  covenant.  This  is  the  first  distinct  announcement  of  the  new 
dispensation  under  this  title.  This  covenant  is  to  differ  radically  in 
terms  and  contents  from  the  old  covenant  which  God  made  with  the 
children  of  Israel  when  he  brought  them  out  of  Egypt.  Reference  is 
clear  to  the  New  Testament  dispensation,  as  may  be  seen  from  Heb. 
viii.  By  a  covenant  is  meant  an  appointment  by  God.  We  are  not 
to  understand  that  God  entered  into  a  contract  with  man.  He  ap- 
pointed certain  things,  promised  certain  things,  upon  certain  con- 
ditions which  the  people  were  to  perform.  But  the  covenant  or 
agreement  was  wholly  of  his  own  making.  Pie  did  not  say  to  the 
people,  "If  you  will  do  so  and  so,  I  will  do  so  and  so."  But  ho 
says,  "I  have  chosen  of  my  own  free  will  and  grace  to  promise  cer- 
tain things  to  you  upon  conditions  which  I  propose."  The  old  cov- 
enant, so  far  as  the  blessings  were  concerned,  had  failed  utterly 
because  of  the  utter  failure  of  the  people  to  "do  the  things"  which 
God  commanded.  Therefore  he  has  taken  it  away  and  substituted 
another  covenant,  based  upon  better  promises — one  in  which  he  not 
only  proposes  blessings,  but  undertakes  to  fulfill  the  conditions  upon 
which  they  shall  flow  in  to  us. 

1. — Some  contrasts. — The  old  covenant  was  broken  by  the  dis- 
obedience of  the  people,  though  in  the  administration  thereof  God 
had  acted  throughout  as  a  forgiving  husband  who  was  constantly 
compounding  the  sins  of  an  unfaithful  wife.  But  this  new  covenant 
is  kept  and  secured  by  the  performance  of  all  its  conditions  by  God 
himself,  acting  in  and  through  Christ.  (Heb.  viii,  6.)  The  old  cov- 
enant was  a  faulty  one,  never  intended  indeed  to  be  the  means  of 
their  salvation,  but  only  to  remind  them  of  their  sin  and  show  them 
their  helplessness.  Not  faulty  in  the  thing  it  was  intended  to  ac- 
complish, but  in  its  final  ability  to  save ;  whereas  the  new  covenant, 


THE   NEW   COVENANT.  57 

made  in  and  with  Christ  for  our  sakes,  is  a  perfect  covenant  in  terms 
and  in  fulfillment,  and  so  does  secure  our  salvation.  (Heb.  viii,  6-13  ; 
x,  1-22;  Rom.  viii,  3,  4.)  The  old  covenant  had  a  complicated  and 
elaborate  ceremonial,  which  could  not  be  understood  or  administered 
except  by  priests  and  ministers,  and  then  but  imperfectly ;  the  new 
covenant  is  simply  based  on  the  one  complete  offering  which  Jesus 
Christ  has  made  for  all  time  and  for  all  people ;  he  being  at  once, 
tabernacle,  priest,  altar,  offering,  and  minister.  We  simply,  as  sin- 
ners, go  to  God  by  him,  confess  that  we  are  sinners,  acknowledge 
that  we  are  helpless  either  to  get  rid  of  sin  or  maintain  righteous- 
ness, and  call  upon  him  to  save  us.  This  he  does  fully,  freely,  and 
eternally  by  his  grace,  without  any  merit  of  our  own.  Under  the 
old  covenant  the  provisions  for  the  canceling  of  sins  were  not  only 
imperfect,  but  utterly  futile,  every  offering  made  by  man  through 
the  priests  being  in  fact  but  a  remembrance  of  sin,  not  a  removal 
of  it ;  whereas  in  this  new  covenant  there  is  perfect  provision.  (Heb. 
x. )  Therefore  on  its  basis  the  forgiveness  of  sins  is  freely  pro- 
claimed,    (v.  34;  Heb.  x,  17,  18.) 

2. — Chief  characteristics. — The  prophet  mentions  three  :  (i)  In- 
wardness. "I  will  put  my  law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in 
their  hearts."  The  terms  of  the  old  covenant,  indeed  its  whole  con- 
tents, were  written  first  in  tables  of  stone,  and  then  all  its  detail  in 
external  laws,  which  the  people  were  compelled  to  bind  between 
their  eyes,  on  their  wrists,  and  fix  them  on  the  door-plates  of  their 
houses  and  the  posts  of  their  gates.  The  whole  relation  was  as  be- 
tween an  outward  law  and  an  outward  obedience.  The  law  com- 
manded and  the  subject  had  to  obey.  The  law  of  Moses  did  not  take 
account  of  thoiights  or  motives,  only  of  actions.  The  action  was 
not  that  of  faith,  but  of  works.  But  this  new  covenant  is  not  so  pro- 
claimed and  written.  Jesus  shows  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  that 
true  righteousness  extends  to  thoughts  and  motives,  and  so  the  true 
life  of  God  is  not  in  externals,  but  in  heart  relation  to  God.  There- 
fore we  are  God's  children,  not  by  national  or  family  relation,  but  by 
a  new  birth,  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  We  obey  the  law  not  because 
of  outward  pressure,  but  from  inward  conviction,  not  by  the  fear  of 
external  punishment,  but  by  the  constraint  of  an  inward  love.  In 
the  new  creation  which  comes  to  believers  under  the  new  covenant 
(II.  Cor.  v,  17),  they  are  not  bound  by  a  multitude  of  statutes  and 
minute  rides,  but  constrained  by  a  personal  love  to  and  for  Jesus 
Christ.  It  is  now  an  affectionate  loyalty  to  a  Divine  Person ;  no 
longer  a  fearful  obedience  to  an  external,  cold,  and  pitiless  law. 
God  in  the  new  birth  (which  is  in  fact  the  birth  of  Christ  in  the  soul) 


58  THE   NEW   COVENANT. 

brings  in  great  principles  of  righteousness  with  which  every  Chris- 
tian, without  respect  to  age  or  intellectual  training,  becomes  instinct, 
and  by  which  his  life  is  regulated.  David  caught  a  glimpse  of  this 
when  he  said  in  his  penitential  psalm  :  "Behold  thou  desire th  truth 
in  the  inward  parts,  and  in  the  hidden  part  thou  shalt  make  me  to 
know  wisdom."  An  old  writer  says,  in  answer  to  an  anxious  inquiry 
as  to  what  a  Christian  may  and  may  not  do  :  "Love  God  and  do  what 
you  please."  That  is,  if  the  heart  is  controlled  by  the  love  of  God, 
if  the  law  is  written  in  the  heart,  then  the  Christian  will  know  what 
is  right  and  wrong  by  the  instinct  of  the  law  of  righteousness  in  him, 
and  will  only  desire  to  do  that  thing  which  heart  and  conscience 
teach  him.  Christ  in  us  the  hope  of  Glory  is  the  best  law  a  Chris- 
tian can  have.  This  is  to  walk  with  God,  and  to  walk  with  God  is 
certainly  to  walk  in  paths  of  righteousness,  (ii)  Knowledge.  "And 
they  shall  teach  no  more  every  man  his  brother,  saying,  Know  the 
Lord :  for  they  shall  all  know  me  from  the  least  of  them  unto  the 
greatest  of  them,  saith  the  Lord."  I  think  the  sense  of  this  passage 
is  that,  under  the  new  covenant  with  the  law  in  the  inward  parts 
and  written  in  the  heart,  the  system  shall  not  be  dependent  on  intel- 
lectual training  or  culture.  Philosophical  or  scientific  knowledge 
must  be  painfully  taught  and  more  painfully  learned.  The  unedu- 
cated and  the  young  cannot  grasp  the  principles  or  master  the  de- 
tails ;  but  with  the  knowledge  of  God  in  the  heart  by  the  new  birth, 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  becomes  intelligible  to  every  hearer 
renewed  by  the  Spirit.  The  young  child  is  often  as  enlightened  in 
the  things  of  the  Spirit  as  the  aged  scholar ;  the  ignorant  negro  as 
intelligent  in  spiritual  things  as  his  cultured  master.  This  knowl- 
edge is  for  the  least  as  well  as  the  greatest,  and  is  dependent  not  so 
much  upon  teaching  and  learning  as  upon  spiritual  apprehension. 
Therefore  the  greatest  of  all  Christian  teachers  declared  that  his 
"  speech  and  his  preaching  was  not  with  enticing  words  of  man's  wis- 
dom, but  in  demonstration  of  the  spirit  and  in  power ;  "  and  therefore 
the  wise  and  prudent,  the  great  and  the  mighty,  were  not  so  apt  to 
become  Christians  as  the  simple-minded  (not  simpletons)  and  the 
poor,  who,  knowing  they  have  not  intellectual  culture,  look  at  once 
to  the  Spirit  to  teach  them  in  connection  with  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel.  (I.  Cor.  i,  13-end ;  ii,  1-10.)  So  also  John  declares  that,  with 
this  law  in  our  hearts  and  the  Spirit  of  God  for  a  teacher,  we  are  not 
dependent  upon  any  one  to  teach  us  the  essential  truth  of  the  Gos- 
pel. "But  the  anointing  which  ye  have  received  of  him  abideth  in 
you,  and  ye  need  not  that  any  man  teach  you;  but  as  the  same 
anointing  teacheth  you  of  all  things,  and  is  truth  and  is  no  lie,  and 


THE   NEW   COVENANT.  59 

even  as  it  hath  taught  you,  ye  shall  abide  in  him."  (I.  John  ii,  27.) 
(iii)  Universality.  "From  the  least  to  the  greatest"  is  an  expression 
which  carries  with  it  the  idea  of  universality  as  to  the  race.  The 
old  covenant  was  confined  to  the  Jewish  people,  the  new  covenant, 
or  the  Gospel,  is  "for  all  people."  The  terms  of  the  covenant  of 
grace  are  the  same  to  all ;  the  masses  of  heathendom  are  to  be  dealt 
with  just  as  the  so-called  Christian  nations.  "  There  is  no  difference  " 
now,  for  as  all  have  sinned,  all  have  been  brought  under  the  pro- 
-visions  of  grace.     Let  the  covenant,  then,  be  published  abroad. 

3. — The  contents  of  the  Covenant. — These  are  three,  (i)  "I 
will  be  their  God."  This  was  a  promise  under  the  old  covenant ;  it 
shall  be  more  than  confirmed  under  the  new.  They  had  forfeited 
the  right  of  having  him  for  their  God  by  their  breach  of  his  covenant, 
but  now  that  which  could  not  be  theirs  by  law  comes  to  be  theirs  by 
Grace.  After  his  resurrection,  Jesus  sent  this  message  to  his  dis- 
ciples :  "Go  to  my  brethren  and  say  unto  them,  I  ascend  unto  my 
Father  and  your  Father,  and  to  my  God  and  your  God."  (John  xx, 
17. )  This  is  the  relation  now.  He  is  the  God  and  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  the  same  close  and  blessed  way  he  is  our 
God  and  Father.  This  was  better  than  any  relation  under  the  old 
covenant  could  have  been,  even  if  it  had  been  kept.  Then,  as  it  were, 
he  could  have  been  but  as  a  step-father,  but  now  he  is  our  Father,  as 
being  the  father  of  our  spirits,  (ii)  "They  shall  be  my  people." 
Not  an  outward  and  earthly  people,  but  an  heavenly  and  spiritual. 
Every  one  shall  be  born  of  the  Spirit,  and  each  one  is  so  an  offspring 
of  God.  This  promise  is  often  emphasized  in  the  closing  book  of 
Revelation  :  "Behold  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he  will 
dwell  with  them  and  they  shall  be  his  people,  and  God  himself  shall 
be  with  them  and  be  their  God.  And  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears 
from  their  eyes ;  and  there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow 
nor  crying,  neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain ;  for  the  former 
things  are  passed  away."  (Rev.  xxi,  3,  4.)  (iii)  The  forgiveness  of 
sin.  "For  I  will  forgive  their  iniquity,  and  I  will  remember  their 
sin  no  more."  This  is  the  most  precious  promise  in  the  new  cov- 
enant. It  is  that  which  Jesus  himself  emphasized  when  he  ex- 
pounded to  his  disciples  the  meaning  of  his  death  :  "For  this  is  my 
blood  of  the  new  covenant,  which  is  shed  for  many,  for  the  remis- 
sion of  sins."  (Matt,  xxvi,  28.)  This  is  the  great  promise  which  the 
apostle  held  out  to  the  people:  "Be  it  known  unto  you,  men  and 
brethren,  that  through  this  man  is  preached  unto  you  the  forgive- 
ness of  sins."  (Acts  xiii,  38.)  This  is  that  which  more  than  any- 
thing else  illustrates  the  blessing  of  redemption:  "In  him  (Jesus) 


60  THE   NEW  COVENANT. 

we  have  redemption,  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  ac- 
cording to  the  riches  of  his  grace."  (Eph.  i,  7.)  We  might  multiply 
passages  innumerable  to  show  this  great  blessing,  and  how  it  glows 
in  the  forefront  of  all  those  of  the  new  covenant.  Not  only  does  he 
forgive  our  iniquities,  but  he  utterly  forgets  them.  They  never 
come  into  his  mind  again.  How  happy  the  man  whose  sins  are  thus 
blotted  out  and  forgotten  !    (Ps.  xxxii,  1.) 

III.— ASSURANCES. 

The  wonderful  covenant  promises  are  now  guaranteed  by  such 
assurances  as  must  satisfy  any  people  or  any  soul.  God  appeals  to 
the  heavens,  where  he  has  set  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  for  lights  by 
day  and  night,  whose  permanence  is  accepted;  he  appeals  to  the 
ocean,  which  obeys  some  mysterious  power,  and  never  fails.  As 
long  as  they  endure,  so  shall  the  terms  of  this  covenant  stand. 
When  heaven  and  earth  can  be  measured  and  searched  out,  and  the 
ordinances  of  heaven  and  earth  fail,  then  shall  the  seed  of  Israel 
fail,  but  not  till  then.    (vs.  36,  37.) 


February  21,  1893. 


VIII. 

JEHOIAKIM'S    WICKEDNESS.— Jeremiah  xxxvi,     19-31. 

(19)  Then  said  the  princes  onto  Barnch,  Go,  hide  thee,  thou  and  Jeremiah  ;  and 
let  no  man  know  where  ye  be.  (00)  And  they  went  in  to  the  king  into  the  court,  but 
they  laid  up  the  roll  in  the  chamber  of  Elish  ana  the  scribe,  and  told  all  the  words  in 
the  ears  of  the  king.  (21)  So  the  king  sent  JVhudi  to  fetch  the  roll ;  and  he  took  it 
out  of  Elishama  the  scribe's  chamber.  And  Jeh::di  read  it  in  the  ears  of  the  king, 
and  in  the  ears  of  all  the  princes  which  stood  beside  the  king.  (22)  Now  the  king 
sat  in  the  winter  house  in  the  ninth  mouth  :  and  there  was  a  fire  on  the  hearth  burn- 
ing before  him.  (23)  And  it  came  to  pr.ss,  that  when  Jehudi  had  read  three  or  four 
leaves,  he  cut  it  with  thepenkniie,  and  cast  it  into  the  fire  that  was  on  the  hearth, 
until  all  the  roll  was  c  nsumei  in  the  fire  that  was  on  the  hearth.  (34)  Yet  they 
were  not  afraid,  nor  rent  their  garments,  neither  the  king,  nor  any  of  his  servants 
that  heard  all  these  words.  (£61  Nevertheless  Elnathan  and  Delaiah  and  Gemariah 
had  male  intercession  to  the  king  that  he  would  not  burn  the  roll ;  but  he  would  not 
hear  them.  (26)  But  the  king  commanded  Jerahmeel  the  son  of  Hammelech,  and 
Seraiah  the  son  of  Azriel,  and  Shelemiah  the  son  of  Abdeel,  to  take  Baruch  the  scribe 
and  Jeremiah  the  prophet  :  but  the  Lord  hid  them.  (27)  Then  the  word  of  the  Lord 
came  to  Jeremiah,  after  that  the  king  had  burned  the  roll,  and  the  words  which 
Baruch  wrote  at  the  mouth  of  Jeremiah,  saying,  (28)  Take  ihee  again  another  roll, 
and  write  iu  it  all  the  former  words  that  were  in  the  first  roll,  which  Jehoiakim  the 
king  of  Judah  hath  burned.  (29)  And  thou  shalt  say  to  Jehoiakim  king  of  Judah, 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  ;  Thou  hast  burnell  this  roll,  saying,  Why  hast  thou  written 
therein,  saying,  The  king  of  Babylon  shall  certainly  come  and  destroy  this  land, 
and  shall  cause  to  cease  from  thence  man  and  beast  ?  (20)  Therefore  thus  saith 
the  Lord  of  Jehoiakim  king  of  Judah;  He  shall  have  none  to  sit  upon  the  throne  of 
David  :  and  his  dead  body  shall  be  cast  out  in  the  day  to  the  heat,  and  in  the  night 
to  the  frost.  (31)  And  I  will  punish  him  and  his  seed  and  his  servants  for  their 
iniquity  ;  and  I  will  bring  upon  them,  and  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  and 
upon  the  men  of  Judah,  all  the  evil  that  I  have  pronounced  against  them  ;  but 
they  hearkened  not.— Jeremiah  xxxvi,  10-31. 

We  have  before  us  one  of  the  most  tragic  acts  of  wickedness  re- 
corded in  the  history  of  the  kings  of  Judah.  It  is  in  striking  con- 
trast with  the  act  of  the  good  King  Josiah  (II.  Chron.  xxxiv,  15-33), 
who,  when  the  lost  book  of  the  law  was  found,  humbled  himself  and 
gave  instant  heed  to  its  warnings  and  precepts ;  all  the  more  so  be- 
cause the  good  king  was  father  of  this  wicked  and  defiant  one. 
Truly  grace  does  not  run  in  the  blood.  Jehoahaz  succeeded  his 
father  to  the  throne,  but  reigned  only  a  few  months  when  the  king 
of  Egypt  deposed  him,  and  put  his  brother  Eliakim  on  the  throne 
instead,  at  the  same  time  changing  his  name  to  Jehoiakim.     Of  his 

CI 


62  JEHOIAKIM'S   WICKEDNESS. 

reign  we  have  little  account,  the  incident  recorded  in  our  study  be- 
ing the  chief  event  of  his  life  that  we'  know.  He  was  but  a  vassal  of 
Egypt,  and  was  soon  to  be  the  captive  of  the  king  of  Babylon.  (II. 
Kings  xxiv,  1-6 ;  II.  Chron.  xxxvi,  1-9. )  His  whole  reign  was 
marked  by  impiety  and  abominations,  of  which  this  act  of  daring 
sacrilege  and  defiance  was  the  chief.  The  chapter  before  us  relates 
how  Jeremiah  had  written  out  a  summary  of  the  prophecies  concern- 
ing the  impending  captivity,  and  caused  it  to  be  read  to  the  people 
assembled  at  a  great  and  special  fast  in  the  temple,  and  afterward 
to  the  princes  in  private,  and  finally  to  the  king.  (1-19.)  The  ob- 
ject of  the  special  message  was  one  of  compassion  and  pity  on  the 
part  of  Jehovah.  "It  may  be  that  the  house  of  Judah  will  hear  all 
the  evil  which  I  purpose  to  do  unto  them ;  that  they  may  return 
every  man  from  his  evil  way  :  and  present  their  supplication  before 
the  Lord  :  that  I  may  forgive  their  iniquity  and  their  sin."  (vs.  3,  7.) 
It  is  wonderful  how,  in  the  midst  of  his  wrath,  God  always  remem- 
bers mercy ;  and  though  he  knew  that  the  king  and  the  people  would 
not  hear,  would  not  supplicate,  would  not  turn  from  their  evil  way, 
yet  his  gracious  purpose  in  sending  them  the  warning  was  in  good 
faith,  and  testifies  his  love.  The  reading  of  the  prophecy  to  the 
people  evidently  made  a  deep  impression,  for  the  news  of  it  was 
carried  to  the  princes,  who  sent  for  Baruch  and  had  him  read  it  to 
them.  They  in  turn  were  deeply  affected,  and  said  it  must  be 
brought  before  the  king.  They,  however,  knew  his  tyrannical 
temper,  and  took  two  precautions.  First,  after  hearing  from  Ba- 
ruch's  lips  how  he  came  to  write  this  prophecy  of  woe,  they  warned 
him  to  go  with  Jeremiah,  and  both  to  secrete  themselves  from  the 
wrath  of  the  king ;  then  they  laid  the  writing  up  in  the  house  of  the 
scribe  (vs.  15-19),  and  lastly  went  in  to  report  the  matter  to  the  king. 
These  princes  seemed  favorable  to  the  prophet  and  to  the  word  of 
God.  but  they  feared  the  king.  An  evil  king  can  suppress  the  good 
that  is  in  his  people  and  prevent  a  whole  nation  from  repentance  or 
reformation.  Men  in  authority  have  great  privilege,  but  also  great 
responsibility.  We  have  a  case  in  point  out  here  in  India.  The 
Queen  of  England,  in  her  proclamation  of  1858,  after  the  Sepoy  re- 
bellion, guaranteed  to  the  Hindoos  absolute  protection  for  their  relig- 
ious rites  and  customs,  and  has  forbidden  any  official  to  attempt  to 
convert  any  heathen  from  his  heathenism  to  Christianity.  The  re- 
sult is  that  almost  the  entire  European  population,  both  official  and 
unofficial,  has  taken  its  cue  from  this  royal  edict  to  justify  them- 
selves in  an  almost  absolute  indifference  to  all  missionary  enterprise, 
and  many  of  them  even  oppose  all  such  efforts. 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD   DESTROYED. 


I.— THE  WORD   OF   GOD  DESTROYED. 

The  burden  of  the  word  of  Jeremiah,  which  was  a  summary  of 
all  his  prophecies  ou  this  point,  was  that  Judah  should  be  carried 
away  captive  by  the  king  of  Babylon,  (v.  29.)  This  was  not  the 
first  warning,  but  the  gathering  up  of  all  past  threats ;  it  was  God's 
final  word  to  the  king  and  the  people.  The  picture  of  the  reading 
of  the  solemn  word  is  briefly  but  graphically  told.  When  the  king 
heard  of  the  prophecy,  he  sent  for  the  roll ;  and  seating  himself  in  his 
winter  house  (which  was  a  part  of  the  royal  palace),  where  he  had  a 
brazen  or  earthen  pot  before  him  filled  with  fire  for  the  purposes  of 
comfort,  he  ordered  the  writing  to  be  read  to  him.  As  it  was  read, 
he  ordered  it  bit  by  bit  to  be  cut  away  and  thrown  into  the  fire  until 
all  was  consumed.  He  was  a  tyrant,  and  his  word  was  obeyed  by 
his  immediate  servants,  though  the  princes  who  had  brought  him 
word  protested,  or  rather  entreated  him  not  to  do  so.  In  this  action 
the  following  points  may  be  noted. 

1. — The  contempt  of  the  king. — The  princes  had  put  the  writing 
away  in  the  house  of  the  scribe  (20)  before  they  went  in  to  the  king. 
This  was  a  testimony  of  their  respect  for  a  message  sent  by  a 
prophet  of  the  Lord,  and  of  their  fear  for  its  safety.  The  king, 
however,  had  no  such  feelings  of  reverence  for  God's  word.  He  did 
not  even  dignify  the  document  by  sending  a  proper  official  to  bring 
it ;  but  showed  his  contempt  by  telling  a  page  or  under  secretary  to 
fetch  it.  This  act  was  a  suggestive  prelude  to  what  followed  after- 
ward. We  do  not  encourage  Bible  worship,  but  we  certainly  do 
feel  that  even  the  paper  on  which  the  word  of  God  is  printed,  and 
the  book  into  which  it  is  bound,  is  entitled  to  more  respect  than  that 
which  attaches  to  any  other  book.  We  may  show  this  respect  to  the 
material  Bible  without  being  accused  of  superstition.  The  Bible  of 
all  books  is  entitled  to  the  place  of  highest  honor,  and  it  is  a  bad 
sign  when  this  due  respect  ceases  to  be  manifest. 

2. — The  rage  of  the  king. — As  the  book  was  being  read,  the  king 
overlooked  the  message,  which  undoubtedly  was  incorporated,  that 
God  hoped  that  the  reading  of  it  might  induce  them  to  turn  from 
their  sins  and  claim  his  promised  mercy.  Many  people,  who  declaim 
against  what  they  call  the  hard  and  bitter  denunciation  of  sin  and 
of  the  judgments  of  God,  seem  persistently  to  forget  that  the  book 
which  condemns  sinners  to  death  and  hell  is  mostly  taken  up  with 
earnest  and  loving  entreaties  to  repentance,  with  promises  of  life 
and  salvation.     The  anger  of  the  king  was  really  against  God,  though 


64  JEHOIAKIM'S   WICKEDNESS. 

it  was  manifested  against  Ms  word.  God  was  beyond  his  reach,  but 
his  word  being  within  his  grasp,  he  poured  out  his  wrath  against 
that.  He  ordered  it  to  be  cut  to  pieces  and  burned  with  fire.  This 
was  not  a  hasty  and  impulsive  action  on  the  part  of  the  king,  but 
deliberate  and  premeditated.  He  perseveres  in  his  evil  work,  not- 
withstanding the  remonstrances  of  his  princes.  He  was  a  "proud 
and  haughty  scorner,  who  dealt  in  proud  wrath."  (Prov.  xxi,  24.) 
There  are  times  when  remonstrance  ceases  to  be  wise,  and  a  willful 
sinner  must  be  given  up  to  his  chosen  way.  The  reason  for  his 
wrath  was  the  evil  tidings  which  the  prophet's  words  brought  him. 
Yet  how  foolish  was  his  wrath — how  impotent  his  rage  !  For  what 
did  he  destroy  ?  Only  the  parchment  on  which  the  word  of  God  was 
written ;  not  the  word  of  God  itself.  That  had  been  spoken ;  and 
the  wTord  of  God,  once  spoken,  is  like  the  rain  and  the  snow  which 
cometh  down  from  heaven,  and  returneth  not  thither  again  until  it 
accomplishes  that  whereunto  it  is  sent.  It  is  related  of  a  heathen 
princess  of  hideous  countenance,  that,  on  looking  into  a  mirror 
which  a  missionary  had,  and  seeing  her  ugliness,  she  destroyed  the 
glass  in  rage,  and  ordered  that  no  more  mirrors  should  be  brought 
into  her  kingdom.  I  once  saw  a  man  in  a  railway  carriage,  to  whom 
a  leaf  of  the  New  Testament  had  been  given,  crumple  it  up  in  his 
hand,  fling  it  on  the  floor,  spit  on  it,  and  grind  it  under  his  heel. 
This  action  was  as  ridiculous  as  it  was  impotent.  The  rage  of  the 
hater  of  God's  word  was  evoked,  but  the  word  of  God  was  not  de- 
stroyed. 

3. — The  attitude  of  the  witnesses. — There  were  two  classes  of 
witnesses  present,  (i)  The  king's  servants  ;  his  pages  and  immedi- 
ate attendants.  "Yet  they  were  not  afraid,  nor  rent  their  garments, 
neither  the  king  nor  any  of  his  servants  that  heard  all  these  words." 
This  implies  that  the  message  not  only  failed  to  bring  about  any  re- 
pentance or  desire  that  the  evils  threatened  might  be  averted  (com- 
pare II.  Chron.  xxxiv,  19),  but  that  the  servants  were  not  even 
horrified  at  the  action  of  the  king  in  ordering  the  writing  to  be  de- 
stroyed. They  silently  acquiesced  in  the  king's  wickedness,  choos- 
ing rather  to  obey  and  fall  in  with  the  sin  of  an  'earthly  tyrant  than 
to  fear  and  reverence  the  heavenly  and  merciful  ruler  of  the  uni- 
verse. They  became  parties  to  the  act  of  the  king  in  his  willful 
unbelief,  in  his  contempt  and  deliberate  defiance  of  Jehovah.  When 
we  join  ourselves  either  in  service  or  companionship  with  unbeliev- 
ing men,  we  must  be  prepared  either  to  go  with  them  or  break  from 
them,  when  a  crisis  comes  by  reason  of  God's  word.  This  is  a  lesson 
that  all  Christians  ought  to  lay  to  heart  in  view  of  their  social  and 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD   DESTROYED.  65 

business  relations  with  an  unbelieving  world.  We  may  serve  an  un- 
godly king,  like  Daniel,  if  we  have  the  courage  to  take  God's  part 
when  occasion  comes,  or  we  may  have  social  and  business  relations 
with  unbelievers,  if  we  are  prepared  to  act  in  a  like  loyal  manner. 
But  how  often  a  timid  Christian  finds  himself  overborne  by  his 
wicked  companions  when  they  warm  themselves  at  their  fire,  as  with 
Pe^er  in  the  High  Priest's  palace,  (ii)  On  the  other  hand,  there 
were  three  princes  present  who  "made  intercession  to  the  king, 
that  he  would  not  burn  the  roll;  but  he  would  not  hear  them." 
They  had,  however,  cleared  their  skirts  and  washed  their  souls  from 
the  iniquity.  They  did  not  prevent  the  king  from  his  wickedness, 
but  they  made  their  protest  and  appeal,  and  so  were  not  included  in 
his  guilt.  Are  we  as  faithful  in  all  such  like  emergencies?  I  once 
knew  a  young  convert,  a  gentleman  in  high  social  position,  who, 
when  Jesus  Christ  and  his  Gospel  were  being  openly  scoffed  at  by  his 
host,  with  whom  he  was  dining,  first  stood  up  for  Christ  and  pro- 
tested against  the  scoffing;  then,  when  it  continued,  he  rose  from 
the  table,  saying  that  he  could  not  longer  sit  at  table,  with  even  his 
best  earthly  friend,  who  mocked  at  his  Saviour.  This  was  true  hero- 
ism, though  he  was  denounced  by  the  worldly  company  as  being  dis- 
courteous to  his  host,  and  rude  in  presence  of  the  guests. 

4. — The  baffled  king. — Having  destroyed  the  writing,  the  king 
began  to  reflect  that  he  had  not  avoided  God's  word  or  put  himself 
beyond  the  further  reach  of  it,  so  long  as  the  scribe  and  the  prophet 
were  at  large.  He  therefore  sent  to  have  them  arrested.  Probably 
he  contemplated  their  murder,  thinking  thus  he  would  get  rid  of  the 
word.  This  is  an  old  method  with  the  haters  of  God,  "But  the 
Lord  hid  them."  Let  us  suppose  he  had  succeeded  in  getting  hold 
of  the  prophet  and  had  killed  him ;  would  he  next  seek  to  destroy 
God  too?  This  would  be  the  logical  course.  How  men  forget  that 
when  they  have  destroyed  the  outward  revelation,  they  have  not  de- 
stroyed the  word  of  God ;  and  when  they  have  killed  the  prophets 
they  have  not  baffled  the  Spirit  by  whom  the  prophets  speak.  God 
hid  his  prophet  and  his  scribe.  Man  is  immortal  till  God  has  no 
further  need  of  him.  God  does  not  always  thus  hide  his  prophets 
from  the  wrath  of  men ;  but  he  can  do  so  if  he  has  further  need  of 
them.  He  so  hid  Elijah  from  the  wrath  of  Ahab.  He  delivered 
Elisha,  by  concealment,  from  the  wrath  of  a  heathen  king.  He  pre- 
served the  lives  of  Daniel  and  the  Hebrew  children  even  in  a  lion's 
den  and  in  a  furnace  of  fire.  Yet  he  suffered  Stephen  to  be  stoned 
to  death  at  his  first  testimony ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  he  sent  an 
angel  to  deliver  Peter  out  of  prison,  and  an  earthquake  to  set  Paul 


66  JEHOIAKIM'S  WICKEDNESS. 

and  Silas  free.  Who  shall  say  whether  Stephen  or  Peter  served  the 
Lord  best  and  wrought  most  powerfully,  one  by  death  or  the  other 
by  life  ?  Let  all  God's  witnesses  know  of  a  truth  that  God  can  de- 
liver his  servants  from  any  manifestation  of  the  wrath  of  man,  if  it 
is  best  for  them  and  for  his  cause ;  and  let  them  know  when  he  does 
not  deliver,  it  is  neither  for  want  of  love,  faithfulness,  or  power,  but 
because  all  round  it  is  best  that  they  should  seal  their  testimony 
Avith  suffering  or  death.  He  delivered  up  his  own  Son  to  the  cross  ; 
but  then  a  little  later  he  delivered  him  out  of  the  power  of  death 
and  the  grave.  Let  us  trust  God.  He  will  in  one  way  or  the  other 
always  baffle  his  enemies  and  deliver  his  servants ;  if  not  always  in 
this  world,  certainly  in  the  next. 

II.— THE   INDESTRUCTIBLE   WORD. 

The  facts  in  this  incident  bring  out  clearly  the  truth,  that  man's 
hatred  and  rage  against  God's  word  are  as  impotent  as  is  the  broken 
wave  that  falls  back  in  spray  from  the  rock  against  which  it  has 
spent  itself.  In  this  conflict  of  man  against  God's  message,  we  see 
that  it  is  neither  a  book  nor  a  man  against  which  the  enemies  of 
Christ  fight.  God  can  reproduce  his  word,  either'  by  the  same 
prophet,  as  he  did  in  this  case,  or  by  another.  Before  the  world  can 
get  rid  of  the  Gospel,  it  must  kill  all  the  believers  in  the  world,  and 
then  they  must  not  be  too  sure  that  God  has  not  hidden  his  word  as 
he  hid  his  prophet,  to  come  forth  unexpectedly,  as  the  law  came 
forth  in  the  time  of  Josiah.  Millions  of  Bibles  may  be  destroyed, 
and  the  preachers  and  witnesses  of  the  word  burned  and  put  to  the 
sword,  but  it  only  serves  to  both  increase  the  word  of  God  and  mul- 
tiply the  witnesses.  When  will  the  world  learn  that  they  cannot 
fight  against  God?  Look  only  at  the  impotence  of  men  in  this  con- 
flict in  the  past.  One  Herod  destroyed  the  little  children,  but  God 
hid  his  Christ ;  another  Herod  beheaded  John  the  Baptist,  but  failed 
utterly  to  destroy  his  testimony.  The  world  crucified  Christ ;  but 
God  raised  him  from  the  dead.  The  world  imprisoned  the  apostles, 
stoned  Stephen,  put  James  to  the  sword,  persecuted  the  young 
Church,  but  this  only  served  to  increase  the  number  of  believers  and 
multiply  the  revelation.  Paul  wrote  more  Epistles  while  in  prison 
than  he  would  have  if  he  had  been  free.  John  wrote  the  Revelation 
while  he  was  exiled  for  the  word  of  God.  Even  could  the  enemy 
destroy  every  word  which  God  has  spoken  to  this  world,  so  far  as 
the  written  word  is  concerned,  they  could  not  then  prevent  God  from 
fulfilling  his  word  of  promise  to  the  faithful,  or  from  executing  his 


THE   INDESTRUCTIBLE   WORD.  67 

judgment  upon  unbelievers.  "  The  word  of  God  cannot  be  broken,"  or 
defeated, — as  this  foolish  and  wicked  king  found  out.  Several  points 
more  may  be  noted  in  connection  with  this  latter  half  of  our  study. 

1. — God  takes  note  of  our  treatment  of  his  word. — It  is  evident 
that  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  were  upon  the  king  while  he  was  burning 
the  roll,  from  the  fact  that,  immediately  afterward,  he  commissioned 
Jeremiah  to  rewrite  it.  If  men  only  realized  the  fact  that  God  is 
taking  note  of  all  that  they  do,  listening  to  all  that  they  say,  making 
record  even  of  their  secret  thoughts,  there  would  be  less  of  this  fool- 
ish and  mad  defiance  of  him  and  his  word.  "Thou  God  seest  me," 
is  a  word  that  we  should  keep  ever  before  our  minds. 

2. — The  word  rewritten. —  "Not  one  jot  or  tittle"  of  God's 
word  shall  pass  away  till  all  be  fulfilled.  Jehoiakim  destroyed  the 
first  writing  of  Jeremiah  with  penknife  and  fire,  and  would  have  de- 
stroyed the  prophet ;  but  no  sooner  had  he  got  through  with  his 
wicked  and  defiant  work,  than  God  immediately  commanded  it  all 
to  be  written  again.  What  was  the  king  advantaged  by  his  work  ? 
What  are  any  of  us  advantaged  by  our  unbelief  ?  Suppose  we  say : 
"  I  do  not  believe  God's  word,"  will  that  alter  the  fact  that  it  will  be 
carried  out  to  the  letter  ?  Suppose,  instead  of  destroying  God's  word, 
we  keep  it  closed,  never  look  into  it  and  never  go  where  it  is 
preached,  or,  reading  and  hearing,  do  not  heed  it ;  will  that  prevent 
it  from  being  fulfilled  ?  Shall  our  unbelief  make  God's  word  to  be  a 
lie  ?  Did  the  unbelief  of  the  antediluvians  prevent  the  flood  ?  Did 
the  unbelief  of  the  Sodomites  prevent  the  destruction  of  their  city, 
and  themselves  in  it?  Did  the  unbelief  of  the  Jews  prevent  their 
captivity?  Will  the  unbelief  of  the  men  and  women  of  our  day  pre- 
vent the  solemn  words  of  Jesus  Christ,  "He  that  believeth  not  shall 
be  damned,"  from  being  carried  out? 

3. — More  words  added. — In  the  first  message  God  had  simply 
told  the  king  that  he  and  the  people  would  be  carried  away  captive, 
but  now  he  adds  more,  saying  that  for  this  act  of  wickedness  he  him- 
self should  be  deprived  of  a  direct  heir,  and  his  body  should  be  cast 
out  and  exposed  to  the  heat  of  the  day  and  the  frost  of  the  night. 
He  would  not  only  bring  upon  the  men  of  Judah  all  that  he  had  first 
declared,  but  would  add  an  especial  punishment  to  the  king.  Cumu- 
lative unbelief  brings  cumulative  punishment.  "With  the  burial  of 
an  ass  shall  he  be  buried ;  dragged  and  cast  out  far  from  the  gates 
of  Jerusalem,"  and  none  shall  mourn  for  him,  either  as  brother,  or 
kindred,  or  king,  (xxii,  19.)  To  mutilate  the  word  of  God,  either 
by  adding  to  it  or  destroying  it,  is  to  bring  special  additional  plagues 
and  sufferings  upon  the  transgressor.      (Rev.  xxii,  18,  19.) 


68  JEHOIAKIM'S  WICKEDNESS. 

Let  us  learn  this  solemn  lesson  in  connection  with  the  word  of 
God.  His  word  is  eternal ;  it  can  neither  be  bound  nor  broken  ;  that 
it  will  not  cease  in  the  world  until  all  that  is  written  therein  be  ful- 
filled. All  the  unbelief,  neglect,  and  rage  against  it  is  utterly  futile. 
"All  flesh  is  as  grass,  and  the  goodliness  thereof  is  as  the  flower  of 
the  field ;  the  grass  withereth,  and  the  flower  fadeth :  but  the  word 
of  our  God  shall  stand  forever."     (Is.  xl,  6-8.) 

"  Within  this  ample  volume  lies 
The  mystery  of  mysteries. 
Happiest  they  of  human  race 
To  whom  their  God  has  given  grace 
To  read,  to  fear,  to  hope,  to  pray, 
To  lift  the  latch  and  force  the  way : 
And  hetter  had  they  ne'er  heen  born 
Than  read  to  doubt,  or  read  to  scorn." 


February  28,  1893. 


IX. 

JEREMIAH    PERSECUTED.— Jeremiah    xxxvii,    11-21. 

(11)  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  when  the  army  of  the  Chaldeans  was  broken  up 
from  Jerusalem  for  fear  of  Pharaoh's  army,  (12)  Then  Jeremlxh  went  forth  out  of 
Jerusalem  to'go  into  the  land  of  Benjamin,  to  separate  himself  thence  in  the  midst  of 
the  people.  (13)  And  when  he  was  in  the  gate  of  Benjamin,  a  captain  of  the  ward 
was  there,  whose  name  was  Irijah,  the  son  of  Shelemiah,  the  son  of  Hananiah ; 
and  he  took  Jeremiah  the  prophet,  saying,  Thou  fallest  away  to  the  Chaldeans. 

(14)  Then  said  Jeremiah,  It  is  false  ;  I  fall  not  away  to  the  Chaldeans.  But  he 
hearkened  not  to  him  :  so  Irijah  took  Jeremiah,  and  brought  him  to  the  princes. 

(15)  Wherefore  the  princes  were  wroth  with  Jeremiah,  and  smote  him,  and  put  him 
in  prison  in  the  house  of  Jonathan  the  scribe  ;  for  they  had  made  that  the  prison. 

(16)  When  Jeremiah  was  entered  into  the  dungeon,  and  into  the  cabins,  and  Jere- 
miah had  remained  there  many  days  ;  (17)  Then  Zcdekiah  the  king  sent,  and  took 
him  out ;  and  the  king  asked  him  secretly  in  his  house,  and  said,  Is  there  any  word 
from  the  Lord  ?  And  Jeremiah  said,  There  is  :  for,  said  he,  thou  shalt  be  delivered 
into  the  hand  of  the  king  of  Babylon.  (18)  Moreover  Jeremiah  said  unto  king 
Zedekiah,  What  have  I  offended  against  thee,  or  against  thy  servants,  or  against  this 
people,  that  ye  have  put  me  in  prison  ?  (19)  Where  are  now  your  prophets  which 
prophesied  unto  you,  saying,  The  king  of  Babylon  shall  not  come  against  you,  nor 
against  this  land  ?  (20)  Therefore  hear  now,  I  pray  thee,  O  my  lord  the  king :  let 
my  supplication,  I  pray  thee,  be  accepted  before  thee  ;  that  thou  cause  me  not  to 
return  to  the  house  of  Jonathan  the  scribe,  lest  I  die  there.  (21)  Then  Zedekiah  the 
king  commanded  that  they  should  commit  Jeremiah  into  the  court  of  the  prison,  and 
that  they  should  give  him  daily  a  piece  of  bread  out  of  the  bakers'  street,  until  all 
the  bread  in  the  city  were  spent.  Thus  Jeremiah  remained  in  the  court  of  the 
prison.— Jeremiah  xxxvii,  11-21. 

After  the  captivity  and  death  of  Jehoiakim  his  brother  Zedekiah, 
another  son  of  Josiah,  sat  upon  the  throne.  He  seems  to  have  "been 
of  weak  and  superstitious  rather  than  of  vicious  character,  though  it 
is  said  that  neither  he  nor  his  servants,  nor  the  people  of  the  land, 
hearkened  unto  the  words  of  Jeremiah.  They  seemed  to  be  infatu- 
ated with  the  idea  that  Jerusalem  had,  with  the  help  of  their  Egyptian 
allies,  strength  to  resist  the  assaults  and  siege  of  the  Chaldeans. 
False  prophets  had  persuaded  the  king  that  he  would  break  the 
Chaldean  yoke,  and  as  this  event  was  more  favorable  to  his  own 
wishes  than  were  the  stern  words  of  Jeremiah,  they  had  been  ac- 
cepted as  truthful,  while  the  true  prophet  was  discredited.  Jer- 
emiah seems  to  have  been  at  liberty  in  the  meantime.     The  king 

C9 


70  JEREMIAH   PERSECUTED. 

had  sent  a  message  to  him  to  pray  for  the  deliverance  of  the  city 
from  the  besieging  Chaldeans.  Jeremiah  had  again  told  the  king 
plainly  that  the  city  was  doomed.  The  Egyptian  army  had  in  the 
meantime  come  np  and  the  Chaldeans  had  withdrawn.  Yet  the  word 
of  the  Lord  came  to  Jeremiah  to  tell  the  king  that  this  was  but  a 
temporary  withdrawal  of  the  enemy ;  that  they  would  return  again  ; 
and,  moreover,  that  even  though  the  Chaldeans  should  be  reduced 
to  a  few  wounded  men,  even  they  should  rise  up  and  burn  the  city. 
The  city  was  doomed ;  nothing  could  defend  it.  The  cup  of  the  peo- 
ple was  full  of  their  iniquity,  and  they  must  drink  it  dry.  When 
God  was  for  Jerusalem,  he  could  make  them  victorious  over  their 
foes,  though  they  were  but  a  handful,  and  without  weapons ;  but 
When  he  was  against  them,  he  could  make  their  foes,  however  small 
a  company  of  wounded  men,  to  have  complete  victory  over  them. 
He  whom  God  is  for,  is  invincible ;  he  whom  God  is  against,  is  im- 
potent. This  was  in  effect  the  message  which  Jeremiah  sent  to  Zed- 
ekiah. 

I.— JEREMIAH  IMPRISONED. 

The  advent  of  the  Egyptian  allies  had  compelled  the  Chaldeans 
to  raise  the  siege  ;  and  the  gates  of  the  city  were  opened,  so  that  the 
people  could  go  in  and  out  again  at  will.  This  opportunity  was 
seized  on  by  Jeremiah  to  leave  the  city  for  the  country,  which  action 
led  to  his  arrest  and  imprisonment. 

1. — Jeremiah  goes  forth. — The  question  of  what  was  the  object 
for  which  the  prophet  left  the  city,  has  given  rise  to  much  discus- 
sion. The  reading  of  the  authorized  version  simply  is  that  "he 
went"  (or  purposed)  "to  go  into  the  land  of  Benjamin,  to  separate 
himself  thence  in  the  midst  of  the  people."  This  is  not  very  intel- 
ligible.  It  has  been  supposed  that  there  was  a  new  allotment  of  land 
in  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  and  that  Jeremiah  had  gone  up  to  secure 
his  portion.  It  is  not  very  material  to  the  lesson  of  the  story  what 
his  object  was.  The  simple  fact  is  that,  having  left  the  city  or  been 
observed  in  the  act  of  so  doing,  suspicions  as  to  his  purpose  were 
aroused  in  the  mind  of  the  keeper  of  the  gate,  and  so  he  was  arrested. 
Jeremiah  was  perfectly  free  and  within  his  rights  as  a  citizen  to  de- 
part from  the  city  if  he  chose,  and  to  go  up  into  the  land  of  Benja- 
min, where  he  belonged ;  but  whether  he  was  wise  under  the  exist- 
ing circumstances  is  a  question. 

1.— Accused  and  arrested.— As  the  prophet  was  departing  from 
the  city  by  the  gate  of  Benjamin,  a  captain  of  the  guard  being  there 
and  recognizing  him,  either  suspected  him  of  desertion  to  the  enemy 


JEREMIAH   IMPRISONED.  71 

or  hating  him  for  his  prophecies  against  Jerusalem,  feigned  sus- 
picion, charged  him  with  the  treason  of  intending  to  desert  the  city 
and  go  over  to  the  Chaldeans ;  and  arrested  him.  The  times  were 
critical,  and  suspicions  were  rife  on  every  hand.  Jeremiah  had  per- 
sistently declared  that  the  city  would  fall  into  the  hand  of  the  Chal- 
deans ;  had  advised  the  king  and  the  peoplo  quietly  to  accept  the 
situation  and  surrender ;  had  warned  them  again  and  again  that  re- 
sistance was  not  only  useless,  but  would  bring  worse  calamities  upon 
them.  All  this,  of  course,  irritated  the  people  and  made  Jeremiah 
very  unpopular.  Though  he  was  free  in  the  city,  he  was  the  object 
of  universal  execration  and  hatred.  Under  these  circumstances  it 
would  have  been  wiser  for  Jeremiah  to  have  remained  in  the  city 
and  taken  his  part  with  the  inhabitants ;  certainly  it  was  unwise  to 
lay  himself  open  to  a  suspicion  of  desertion  by  leaving  the  city  at 
such  a  time,  just  after  the  delivery  of  his  last  message  to  the  king. 
Possibly  he  did  not  think  that  his  visit  to  the  country  would  be  mis- 
construed. Innocent  men  are  not  always  men  of  prudence.  Having 
no  evil  intention  themselves,  they  cannot  understand  how  others 
will  think  evil  of  them.  Jeremiah's  visit  to  the  country  may  have 
been  (and  doubtless  was)  perfectly  justifiable  and  harmless,  yet  it 
had  the  appearance  of  evil  to  those  who  were  of  suspicious  inclina- 
tions. It  is  not  always  wise  to  do  the  lawful  things  which  lie  before 
us,  even  though  there  be  no  actual  harm  in  the  action.  While  a  true 
child  of  God  must  not  be  hindered  from  doing  his  duty  through  fear 
of  what  evil-minded  men  may  say  or  do,  it  is  not  always  necessary 
that  they  should  do  what  is  lawful  for  them  to  do  in  mere  defiance 
of  malignant  enemies.  The  prophet's  business  to  the  country  seems 
to  have  been  entirely  of  a  private  character.  Perhaps  he  was  dis- 
gusted with  the  king  and  people,  and  just  left  the  city  in  that  state 
of  mind.  In  any  case  he  should  have  taken  counsel  of  God  and  con- 
sidered the  circumstances  before  exposing  himself  to  the  suspicions 
and  malice  of  his  enemies.  In  times  of  excitement  and  contention 
between  God  and  an  evil-thinking  generation,  his  servants  have  need 
to  walk  with  the  greatest  circumspection.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
action  of  the  captain  of  the  guard  was  most  reprehensible,  and  illus- 
trates the  injustice  with  which  unbelieving  and  wicked  men  are  com- 
monly disposed  to  treat  God's  people.  He  had  no  real  ground  for 
suspecting  Jeremiah  of  treachery  and  desertion  to  the  enemy ;  for 
though  he  had  prophesied  the  fall  of  Jerusalem,  there  was  nothing 
in  his  conduct  hitherto  which  would  indicate  that  he  was  not  the  true 
friend  of  his  country.  But  enemies  who  wish  to  find  an  occasion 
against  God's  people  can  readily  do  so.     Nothing  is  more  common 


72  JEKEMIAII   PERSECUTED. 

than  for  the  actions  of  good  men  to  bo  misjudged.  Action  can  only 
be  interpreted  by  motive,  and  many  a  man  of  God  has  been  sus- 
pected of  wrong-doing,  even  of  crime,  by  reason  of  an  action  which, 
instead  of  being  evil,  has  been,  if  judged  by  motive,  most  praise- 
worthy. Unbelievers  are  apt  to  judge  the  actions  of  God's  people  by 
their  own  method  of  procedure.  I  heard  an  officer  in  the  English 
army  say  last  autumn  that  all  missionaries  in  India  were  the  merest 
mercenaries  ;  that  their  only  motive  in  coming  out  here  was  salary. 
I  asked  him  why,  and  on  what  ground  he  made  such  a  charge.  His 
reply  was  that  he  could  conceive  of  no  other  motive,  and  admitted 
that  nothing  would  induce  him  to  devote  his  life  to  trying  to  con- 
vert heathen  but  a  good  round  salary.  I  immediately  denounced 
him  as  a  mere  mercenary  soldier  and  not  a  patriot.  He  indignantly 
denied  the  charge,  and  asked  me  to  explain  myself.  I  replied  to  him 
that  my  evidence  was  that  he  received  "pay"  for  his  services,  and 
I  could  conceive  of  no  other  motive  for  a  soldier  beyond  that.  He 
was  gentleman  enough  to  withdraw  his  charge  against  the  missiona- 
ries, and  to  admit  that  they  had  a  motive  for  their  work  which  ho 
could  not  understand.  Thus  some  men  who  hate  God,  hate  also  his 
servants,  and  without  any  other  reason  than  their  hatred  of  the  truth 
they  lay  hold  of  them,  as  the  Jews  laid  hold  on  Jesus,  being  enraged 
against  him  "for  the  truth's  sake,"  and  charge  them  with  all  manner 
of  crimes  of  which  they  are  perfectly  innocent.  In  like  manner, 
through  envy,  they  assailed  and  arrested  Paul ;  and  such  has  been 
their  action  in  all  ages.  "Marvel  not  if  the  world  hate  you,"  said 
our  Lord.     The  servant  is  not  greater  than  his  Lord. 

2. — Jeremiah's  denial. — Upon  being  charged  with  treasonable 
intentions  in  leaving  the  city,  Jeremiah  indignantly  denied  that  he 
had  any  such  purpose.  He  met  the  charge  with  a  simple  sharp 
word.  "It  is  false";  or,  as  the  margin  has  it :  "A  lie ;  I  fall  not 
away  to  the  Chaldeans."  He  was  both  indignant  at  his  arrest,  and, 
perhaps,  from  the  heat  of  his  denial,  more  so  still  at  the  charge  of 
treachery.  To  defame  a  man's  good  name  is  often  more  intolerable 
than  the  prospect  of  endurance  of  any  amount  of  physical  suffering. 
To  know  that  such  an  evil  report  had  gone  out  against  him  must 
have  troubled  Jeremiah  as  much  or  more  than  all  the  rigors  of  the 
prison  and  pillory.  Joseph  in  Egypt  thus  suffered,  being  innocent ; 
Moses  suffered  in  like  manner ;  David  seemed  to  care  more  that  Saul 
could  think  him  capable  of  conspiring  against  his  life,  than  for  the 
persecution  with  which  he  was  pursued,  and  sought  more  earnestly 
to  clear  his  name  than  to  save  his  life.  The  first  question  that  arises 
out  of  this  part  of  the  story  is :   How  should  we  meet  such  false 


JEREMIAH   IMPRISONED.  73 

charges  as  this,  under  which  Jeremiah  was  arrested?  That  must 
depend  on  circumstances.  Paul  defended  himself  by  an  elaborate 
argument.  Jesus  adopted  more  than  one  method.  Oftentimes  he 
refuted  the  charges  which  the  Jews  brought  against  him,  by  showing 
them  how  absurd  their  statements  were,  as  in  the  case  when  they 
charged  him  with  being  the  agent  of  the  devil.  Again,  when  he  was 
under  the  cruel  and  awful  charge  of  blasphemy,  when  death  was 
hanging  over  him,  he  met  the  judge  and  false  witnesses  with  per- 
fect silence.  Silence  does  not  always  give  consent.  There  are  cir- 
cumstances when  it  is  better  to  suffer  both  in  reputation  and  body 
rather  than  attempt  a  defense.  There  may  be  higher  interests 
involved  even  than  the  preservation  of  a  good  name  and  life  itself. 
"While  it  is  perfectly  right  to  assert  innocence  if  one  be  innocent, 
sometimes  silence  is  a  more  effectual  answer  than  denial.  Time 
often  proves  the  best  vindicator.  I  once  heard  Mr.  Spurgeon  say 
that  he  never  attempted  to  brush  off  mud  that  was  thrown  at  him, 
for  he  was  sure  that  to  attempt  to  do  so  would  only  result  in  smear- 
ing himself  with  the  filth ;  but  that  he  always  waited  till  it  was  dry, 
and  then  he  could  deal  with  it  as  dust,  and  get  rid  of  it  without  a 
stain  being  left  behind.  It  was  said  of  Jesus  that  when  he  was 
reviled,  he  reviled  not  again.  This,  however,  does  not  mean  that  he 
never  denied  or  repelled  an  untrue  or  unjustifiable  attack  on  his 
character.  Usually  we  are  more  sensitive  to  our  reputations  than 
we  are  to  our  character.  It  has  been  truly  said  that  if  we  only  take 
care  of  our  characters,  God  will  in  the  end  vindicate  our  reputations. 
Every  one  must  be  guided  by  the  circumstances  in  which  he  finds 
himself  placed,  first  looking  toward  God  and  toward  those  with  whom 
we  are  associated,  and  then  deciding  on  the  course  to  be  pursued. 
Most  important  for  us  to  remember,  after  all,  are  these  two  precepts  : 
''Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall  revile  you  and  persecute  you,  and 
shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely  (lying)  for  my  sake. 
Rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad,  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven ; 
for  so  persecuted  they  the  prophets."  (Matt,  v,  11,  12.)  No  doubt 
Jesus  had  this  case  in  mind  when  he  uttered  that  beatitude.  Let  us 
first  be  sure  that  we  give  no  just  cause  for  men  to  say  evil  against 
us,  and  then,  when  they  do  lie  about  us,  we  may  remember  that  God 
is  ready  to  compensate  us  beyond  any  hurt  that  man's  lie  can  inflict. 
Again  we  are  told  that  "this  is  thankworthy,  if  a  man,  for  con- 
science toward  God,  endure  grief,  suffering  wrongfully.  For  what 
glory  is  it,  if,  when  ye  be  buffeted  for  your  faults,  ye  take  it  pa- 
tiently? but  if,  when  ye  do  well,  and  suffer  for  it,  ye  take  it  patiently, 
this  is  acceptable  with  God."     (I.  Pet.  ii,  19,  20.)     Though  Jeremiah 


74  JEREMIAH   PERSECUTED. 

indignantly  denied  the  charge,  the  denial  did  him  no  good.  It  was 
not  the  truth  which  his  enemies  were  seeking,  but  only  an  occasion 
to  persecute  him.  So  we  are  told  that  the  captain  ''hearkened  not 
to  him,"  but  carried  him  to  the  princes.  Biased  as  they  were  by 
passion  and  hatred,  not  seeking  the  truth,  but  moved  to  cruelty  and 
revenge,  Jeremiah  fell  a  victim  to  the  malice  of  his  enemies. 

3. — He  is  imprisoned. — Irijah  took  the  prophet  to  the  princes. 
These  were  not  the  same  who  befriended  him  in  the  previous  reign 
and  took  measures  to  conceal  him  from  the  wrath  of  Jehoiakim,  but 
another  cabinet  who  were  in  authority  under  Zedekiah.  They  were 
as  willing  to  believe  the  charge  of  treason  against  Jeremiah  as  was 
the  captain  to  prefer  it.  So,  without  trial  or  an  opportunity  of  de- 
fense, they  beat  him  and  cast  him  first  into  a  dungeon,  and  then 
thrust  him  into  the  stocks  (so  the  word  "cabins,"  v.  16,  signifies). 
Peter  and  John,  Paul  and  Silas  afterward  all  shared  his  fate,  as  have 
hundreds  and  thousands  of  God's  witnesses  since  their  time.  It 
looks  not  only  hard  that  wicked  men  should  be  allowed  to  do  these 
things,  but  it  seems  mysterious  that  God  does  not  interfere  for  their 
deliverance.  We  have,  however,  learned  that  to  suffer  for  Christ's 
sake  is  a  part  of  the  privilege  which  is  accorded  to  every  disciple. 
There  seems  to  be  a  double  necessity  for  this.  First  we  must  our- 
selves, even  as  did  Jesus  himself,  learn  obedience  by  the  things 
which  we  suffer,  and  so  to  be  "perfected  through  suffering."  (Heb. 
v,  8;  ii,  10;  comp.  I.  Pet.  ii,  21,  23;  v,  10.)  Besides,  it  is  a  matter 
of  clear  demonstration  that  suffering  for  the  truth  has  always  been 
the  most  powerful  testimony  thereto.  The  cause  of  Christ  and  the 
purity  and  strength  of  spiritual  life  is  never  so  manifestly  of  God  as 
during  those  times  when  the  disciples  are  called  on  to  suffer.  It  is 
hard  to  the  flesh  and  trying  to  faith ;  yet  if  there  be  a  willing  mind 
it  can  be  done,  can  be  borne  joyfully  for  his  sake  who  led  the  way 
over  this  thorny  path,  and  at  last  arrived  in  glory  there,  whither  he 
has  guaranteed  to  bring  us  hereafter. 

H.— THE   KING  AND  JEREMIAH. 

After  the  prophet  had  been  many  days  in  prison,  the  weak  king 
sent  for  him  secretly,  and  brought  him  out  of  prison  to  make  inquiry 
of  him.  This  was  a  triumph  for  Jeremiah  and  a  humiliation  for  the 
king.  In  the  long  run,  the  highest  and  haughtiest  enemies  of  God 
will  have  to  bow  to  the  lowliest  of  his  friends.  There  are  many  in- 
stances where  men  who  have  scoffed  at  religion  and  mocked  at  its 
messengers  have,  in  moments  of  great  fear  and  extremity,  sought  out 


THE   KING  AND   JEREMIAH.  75 

tho  very  people  whom  they  have  despised  and  persecuted  to  beg  for 
intercession  with  God  on  their  behalf.  The  city  was  apparently  re- 
invested by  the  Chaldeans,  and  in  great  straits  for  food  (v.  21),  and 
the  king  hoped  that  at  last  the  prophet  would  relent  and  secure  some 
favorable  word  from  the  Lord.  He  seems,  like  all  unbelievers,  to 
have  had  the  curious  idea  of  God,  that  he  might  be  brought  round  to 
favor  if  only  the  prophets  could  be  won  over  first.  So  Barak,  king 
of  Moab,  thought  when  he  sent  for  Balaam  to  curse  Israel.  (Num. 
xxii,  xxiii.) 

1. — Is  there  any  word  from  the  Lord? — This  was  the  king's 
question  put  to  Jeremiah.  The  Lord  had  previously  given  to  the 
king  a  very  sure  word  (v.  10),  but  he  still  vainly  clung  to  the  hope 
that  the  word  of  God  would  be  altered,  though  there  was  not  the 
least  evidence  that  the  king  or  the  people  had  altered  their  lives. 
There  are  many  persons  in  our  day  expecting  that  in  the  end,  not- 
withstanding that  the  word  of  God,  finally  communicated  to  us  in 
the  Bible,  is  God's  last  word  to  this  world,  the  Almighty  will  change 
his  mind  and  not  punish  persistent  sinners.  Yet  there  was  a  word 
from  the  Lord.  It  was  very  brief,  and  exactly  to  the  point.  "And 
Jeremiah  said :  There  is  :  for,  said  he,  thou  shalt  be  delivered  into 
the  hand  of  the  king  of  Babylon."  Now  this  was  a  very  brave  and 
courageous  action  on  the  part  of  Jeremiah.  Already  the  princes 
were  enraged  against  him  for  a  similar  prophecy  many  times  re- 
peated, and  he  was  now  in  their  power.  If  ever  a  man  might  have 
been  tempted  to  temporize  and  prophesy  smooth  things,  this  was  the 
time.  No  doubt  there  was  that  in  the  manner  of  the  king  which  held 
out  the  hope  to  Jeremiah  that  his  imprisonment  would  end  with  a 
favorable  word.  But  Jeremiah,  timid  and  retiring  as  he  was  by 
nature,  and  extremely  sensitive  to  physical  suffering,  did  not  hes- 
itate for  a  moment,  but  delivered  his  message  without  equivocacy  or 
qualification.  There  is  nothing  more  sublime  in  this  world  than  a 
clear  and  undisguised  declaration  of  the  truth  under  any  and  all  cir- 
cumstances. 

2. — Jeremiah  pleads  his  own  cause. — Having  first  delivered  the 
message  from  the  Lord,  wholly  regardless  of  what  might  be  the  effect , 
upon  the  mind  and  disposition  of  the  king,  he  now  ventures  to  plead 
for  his  own  release  from  prison.  It  is  a  great  testimony  to  Jer- 
emiah's loyalty  to  God  that  he  suffered  his  own  private  and  personal 
interests  to  be  in  the  background  until  he  had  delivered  the  Lord's 
message.  He  sought  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness, 
leaving  the  things  which  appertained  to  his  own  comfort  to  be  added 
afterward.     But  now,  having  discharged  tho   Lord's  business,  he 


7G  JEREMIAH   PERSECUTED. 

ventures  to  undertake  a  plea  on  his  own  behalf.  He  put  his  plea  on 
two  grounds :  First,  his  absolute  innocence  of  any  wrong  done  to 
either  the  king  qv  the  people.  Why  had  he  been  cast  into  prison? 
The  only  thing  that  could  be  said  against  him  was  that  he  had  deliv- 
ered the  Lord's  word  as  he  had  received  it.  Could  he  do  less  than 
that?  (Acts  iv,  19.)  Would  the  king  have  had  him  speak  lies  to 
please  the  princes  and  the  people,  which  must  ultimately  have 
brought  them  much  damage  ?  Secondly,  he  appeals  to  the  truth  of 
his  predictions,  and  asks  the  king  to  produce  the  false  prophets  who 
had  nattered  him  and  the  people  with  pleasant  lies,  (xxviii,  1,  etc.  ; 
xxix,  27-32.)  Had  their  false  prophecies  done  the  king  any  good? 
Was  it  not  now  manifest  that  they  were  false  friends  as  well  as  false 
prophets  ?  He  therefore  pleaded  with  the  king  not  to  add  to  his 
already  heavy  account  of  iniquity  by  keeping  him  unjustly  in  prison. 
3. — The  prophet's  sufferings  mitigated. — The  king  was  evidently 
moved  by  the  prophet's  plea,  but  he  was  afraid  of  his  princes  and 
did  not  dare  to  grant  the  full  petition  of  the  prophet,  but  he  so  far 
ordered  a  mitigation  of  his  imprisonment,  that  he  was  taken  out  of 
the  stocks  and  the  dungeon  and  simply  confined  in  the  gaol  court. 
Jeremiah  was,  as  we  have  said,  a  shrinking  and  retiring  man  by 
nature,  and  keenly  sensitive  to  physical  pain.  His  imprisonment 
was  very  severe,  though  there  was  worse  in  store  for  him.  (See  the 
next  chapter.)  He  felt  that  to  stay  in  that  dungeon  and  in  the 
"  cabins"  would  end  in  his  death.  The  king  softened  his  imprison- 
ment and  ordered  the  prophet  to  be  fed  with  a  piece  of  bread  from 
the  baker's  street  as  long  as  there  was  bread  to  be  had  in  the  be- 
sieged city.  In  this  incident  we  see  how  God  tempers  the  severity 
of  suffering  even  when  he  does  not  entirely  deliver  us  from  it.  There 
was  a  good  reason,  a  divine  reason,  for  the  prophet's  imprisonment, 
and  yet  God  suffered  him  to  be  a  little  relieved  from  its  rigor.  If  the 
prison  discipline  was  more  than  he  could  bear,  then  God  would  take 
him  out  of  it ;  for  he  had  yet  need  of  the  prophet,  both  for  testimony 
and  for  suffering.  Let  us  trust  God  in  our  trials,  that  he  will  not 
suffer  us  to  be  afflicted  more  than  we  are  able  to  bear,  or  else  that 
he  will  give  us  more  grace  wherewith  to  endure  hardness  as  good 
soldiers. 


March  6,  1892. 


X. 

THE     DOWNFALL    OF    J UDAH.— Jeremiah    xxxix,      1-10. 

(1)  In  the  ninth  year  of  Zedekiah  king  of  Judah,  in  the  tenth  month,  came  Neb- 
uchadrezzar king  of  Babylon  and  all  his  army  against  Jerusalem,  and  they  besieged 
it.  (2)  And  in  the  eleventh  year  of  Zedekiah,  in  the  fourth  month,  the  ninth  day  of 
the  month,  the  city  was  broken  up.  (3)  And  all  the  princes  of  the  king  of  Babylon 
came  in,  and  sat  in  the  middle  gate,  even  Nergal-sharezer,  Samgar-nebo,  Sarsechim, 
Rab-saris,  Nergal-sharezer,  Rab-mag,  with  all  the  residue  of  the  princes  of  the  king 
of  Babylon.  (4)  Aud  it  came  to  pass,  that  when  Zedekiah  the  king  of  Judah  saw 
them,  and  all  the  men  of  war,  then  they  fled,  and  went  forth  out  of  the  city  by 
night,  by  the  way  of  the  king's  garden,  by  the  gate  betwixt  the  two  walls  :  and  he 
went  out  the  way  of  the  plain.  (5)  But  the  Chaldeans'  army  pursued  after  them,  and 
overtook  Zedekiah  in  the  plains  of  Jericho :  and  when  they  had  taken  him,  they 
brought  him  up  to  Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babylon  to  Riblah  in  the  land  of  Hamath, 
where  he  gave  judgment  upon  him.  (6)  Then  the  king  of  Babylon  slew  the  sons  of 
Zedekiah  in  Riblah  before  his  eyes  :  also  the  king  of  Babylon  slew  all  the  nobles  of 
Judah.  (7)  Moreover  he  put  out  Zedekiah's  eyes,  and  bound  him  with  chains,  to 
carry  him  to  Babylon.  (8)  And  the  Chaldeans  burned  the  king's  house,  and  the 
houses  of  the  people,  with  fire,  and  brake  down  the  walls  of  Jerusalem.  (9)  Then 
Nebuzar-adan  the  captain  of  the  guard  carried  away  captive  into  Babylon  the  rem- 
nant of  the  people  that  remained  in  the  city,  and  those  that  fell  away,  that  fell  to 
him,  with  the  rest  of  the  people  that  remained.  (10)  But  Nebuzar-adan  the  captain 
of  the  guard  left  of  the  poor  of  the  people,  which  had  nothing,  in  the  laud  of  Judah, 
and  gave  them  vineyards  and  fields  at  the  same  time.— Jeremiah  xxxis,  1-10. 

The  siege  and  sacking  of  Jerusalem  under  Nebuchadrezzar  is  the 
most  tragic  story  in  history.  The  second  destruction  of  the  city 
under  Titus,  the  Roman  general,  was  analogous,  but  did  not  equal 
the  first  in  horror  of  detail.  The  siege  was  more  prolonged  under 
the  king  of  Babylon,  the  resistance  by  the  Jews  more  desperate,  and 
the  determination  with  which  the  people  held  out  more  stubborn, 
preferring  starvation  to  surrender.  During  those  eighteen  months 
the  city  presented  an  awful  spectacle  ;  delicately  reared  princesses 
were  seen  clawing  over  dung-heaps  and  street  refuse  to  find  a  morsel 
of  food ;  the  once  snow-clad  Nazarites  walked  the  streets  in  filthy  gar- 
ments ;  the  fairest  and  best-liking  of  the  people  were  reduced  to  the 
merest  skeletons ;  desperation  of  hunger  forced  fond  mothers  to  boil 
and  eat  their  own  children.  The  horrors  depicted  even  in  outline 
by  the  sacred  writers  almost  beggar  the  imagination.     I  have  in  a 

77 


78  THE   DOWNFALL   OF   JUDAH. 

former  study  minutely  set  forth  these  details  and  pointed  out  the 
Scriptures  where  they  may  all  be  found,  and  now  would  refer  the 
reader  to  that  study.  (Vol.  IV,  1891,  pp.  191.)  The  king  of  Judah 
was  the  vassal  of  the  king  of  Babylon,  but,  being  deceived  by  false 
prophets,  he  rebelled  against  his  foreign  sovereign,  and  sought, 
through  an  alliance  with  the  king  of  Egypt,  to  throw  off  the  Chal- 
dean yoke.  Hearing  of  this  attempt  at  rebellion,  the  Chaldeans  had 
sent  a  strong  detachment  of  their  army  to  reduce  Zedekiah  to  obedi- 
ence, when  an  Egyptian  army  making  its  appearance  forced  them  to 
raise  the  siege.  Subsequently  the  Egyptian  army  was  defeated, 
and  then,  with  his  entire  army,  Nebuchadrezzar  came  up  and  be- 
sieged Jerusalem  for  eighteen  months,  and  took  it.  Jeremiah  had 
persistently  warned  the  king  that  it  was  folly  to  contend  with  Baby- 
lon, for  the  Lord  had  determined  upon  their  captivity.  There  was 
a  time  when  God  would  have  spared  them  had  the  king,  the  princes, 
and  the  people  hearkened  to  his  voice  and  repented  of  their  iniqui- 
ties ;  but  they  would  not  hear.  Again  they  were  offered  a  mitigation 
of  the  horrors  of  captivity  by  making  a  voluntary  surrender,  in  which 
case  the  king's  life  was  to  be  spared,  the  city  would  be  saved  from 
fire,  and  the  people  from  the  worst  horrors  of  captivity ;  but  the  king 
was  weak  and  afraid  of  his  nobles,  who  were  infatuated  with  the  idea 
of  the  impregnability  of  Jerusalem  and  the  veracity  of  the  false 
prophets,  while  they  disbelieved  the  word  of  God.  So  the  king  and 
the  princes  not  only  rebelled  against  the  king  of  Babylon,  but  set 
themselves  in  defiance  against  God  himself. 

I.— JERUSALEM  TAKEN  AND  SACKED. 

The  prophet  does  not  dwell  on  the  details  of  the  siege,  as  it  was 
no  part  of  his  plan  to  detail  the  military  processes  by  which  the  holy 
city  was  at  last  put  into  the  hands  of  the  Chaldeans.  His  purpose 
was  simply  to  record  the  fact,  and  thus  mark  the  fulfillment  of  God's 
word.  After  eighteen  months,  in  which  the  city  had  been  com- 
pletely invested,  a  breach  in  the  walls  was  effected,  and  the  Babylo- 
nian army  was  in  full  possession.  The  princes  of  the  Chaldean  king 
entered  the  city  and  took  up  their  head-quarters  in  the  middle  gate. 
This  was  probably  the  gate  through  an  inner  wall  within  the  city 
which  surrounded  the  citadel.  At  any  rate,  the  presence  of  these 
Babylonian  princes  in  that  place  showed  that  the  city  was  entirely  in 
their  hands.  For  further  details,  compare  II.  Kings  xxv  with  our 
present  text,  and  Jer.  lii.  These  three  accounts  are  substantially 
the  same.     For  details  of  the  horrors  and  sufferings  of  the  inhabit- 


JERUSALEM   TAKEN   AND   SACKED.  79 

ants  of  Jerusalem  during  the  siege,  compare  Lamentations  (espe- 
cially chap,  iv),  in  which  the  heart-broken  prophet  pours  forth  his  sor- 
row over  the  downfall  of  the  city,  and  especially  over  the  woes  which 
had  come  upon  his  people.  See  also  Ezekiel  iv,  v,  xii,  xxi,  where 
minute  prophecies  of  the  downfall  of  the  city  are  recorded.  After 
the  subjugation  of  the  city,  and  the  flight,  capture,  judgment,  and 
imprisonment  of  the  king,  under  the  command  of  Nebuzar-adan,  the 
captain  of  the  guard,  the  Babylonian  soldiers  burned  the  city,  includ- 
ing the  temple,  king's  palace,  and  all  the  houses  of  the  princes  and 
chief  men ;  the  walls  were  razed ;  the  whole  city  was  turned  into  a 
waste  and  ruinous  heap.  (v.  8  ;  lii,  13,  14. )  Jeremiah  laments  the  de- 
struction of  the  glorious  city  of  God  in  these  sad  and  pathetic  words  : 
"How  doth  the  city  sit  solitary,  that  was  full  of  people  ;  how  is  she 

become  a  widow,  she  that  was  great  among  the  nations She 

weepeth  sore  in  the  night,  and  her  tears  are  on  her  cheeks  ;  among  all 
her  lovers  she  hath  none  to  comfort  her ;  all  her  friends  have  dealt 

treacherously  with  her ;  they  are  become  her  enemies And 

from  the  daughter  of  Zion  all  her  beauty  is  departed How 

is  the  gold  become  dim ;  how  is  the  most  fine  gold  changed ;  the 
stones  of  the  sanctuary  are  poured  out  in  the  top  of  every  street. 
The  precious  sons  of  Zion,  comparable  to  fine  gold,  how  are  they  es- 
teemed as  earthen  pitchers,  the  work  of  the  hands  of  the  potter." 
(Lam.  i,  1,  2,  6 ;  iv,  1,  2. )  The  great  lesson  to  be  deeply  pondered 
from  this  awful  judgment  upon  Jerusalem  is  the  certain  retribution 
of  God  upon  persistent  sin.  When  God  put  his  people  into  the  land, 
he  warned  them  that,  if  they  transgressed  his  law  and  gave  them- 
selves up  to  idols  and  the  practice  of  iniquity,  he  would  punish  them 
and  scatter  them  among  the  nations.  (Deut.  iv,  25-28 ;  xxviii,  62- 
67. )  These  warnings  had  been  repeated  over  and  over  again,  line 
upon  line  and  precept  upon  precept,  with  admonitory  chastisements 
and  afflictions,  for  nearly  a  thousand  years.  God  had  besought 
them,  by  every  argument  and  entreaty,  to  repent  of  their  sins  and 
cease  from  their  wickedness,  that  he  might  forgive  them,  and  save 
them  from  the  calamities  which  their  sins  were  certain  to  bring  upon 
them.  These  warnings  and  entreaties  they  had  neglected  and  de- 
spised. The  prophets,  whom  he  had  sent  them,  they  had  stoned, 
imprisoned,  sawn  asunder,  and  put  to  death.  Before  the  time  of 
Judah's  downfall,  Israel  had  been  carried  away  captive  and  scattered. 
God  had  used  this  as  his  last  warning  to  Jerusalem,  and  declared  to 
her  that  a  like  fate  was  impending  over  her,  at  the  same  time  giving 
opportunity  for  repentance  ;  but  Jerusalem,  the  kings,  her  princes 
and  her  people,  would  not  hear ;  and  now  the  cup  of  wrath  was 


80  THE   DOWNFALL   OF   JUDAH. 

pressed  to  her  guilty  lips,  and  she  was  made  to  drink  it  to  the  bitter 
dregs.  No  honest  and  thoughtful  man  can  read  these  prophetic  and 
historic  records  without  being  profoundly  impressed  with  the  long- 
suffering  mercy  of  God  toward  sinners,  and  the  certainty  of  retri- 
bution following  upon  unrepented  and  persistent  sin.  God's  judg- 
ment may  be  slow  in  coming,  but  it  is  as  sure  as  it  is  slow.  How 
long  he  had  borne  with  Judah  and  Jerusalem  before  he  began  to 
pour  out  his  fury  upon  them  !  Long  as  God  postpones  his  judgment, 
when  once  it  sets  in,  it  goes  on  to  the  end;  " though  the  mills  of 
God  grind  slowly,  yet  they  grind  exceeding  small."  What  a  culmi- 
nation of  calamities  at  the  last !  There  is  no  stopping  or  turning 
them  back.  All  the  skill,  the  courage,  and  the  endurance  which  Je- 
rusalem brought  to  bear  in  order  to  avert  this  awful  judgment, 
availed  nothing.  When  the  time  for  judgment  comes  it  is  too  late 
for  prayer  and  entreaty.  God,  who  is  long-suffering  and  slow  to 
anger,  is  obdurate  and  merciless  when  once  he  has  begun  to  pour 
out  his  fury.  When  will  men  learn  this  lesson?  We  have  not  to 
do  with  the  judgment  upon  Judah  and  Jerusalem,  but  with  that 
which  is  coming  upon  all  men  who,  like  this  apostate  people,  de- 
spise God's  word  and  believe  not  his  prophets.  No  amount  of  theory 
or  argument  will  prevent  the  doom  of  the  persistent  sinner.  Men 
may  say  that  death  ends  all ;  but  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  proves 
that  it  does  not ;  men  may  say  that  God  is  too  merciful  to  punish  sin- 
ners according  to  the  declaration  of  the  Scriptures  ;  but  is  he?  Let 
the  story  of  the  flood ;  the  overwhelming  fate  of  Pharaoh ;  the  de- 
struction of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah ;  the  terrible  calamities  that  came 
upon  Israel  and  Judah,  be  our  answer.  After  God's  mercy  has  been 
ruthlessly  trampled  under  foot,  then  his  righteous  retribution  comes 
and  proceeds  to  the  bitter  end.  Nor  can  men  complain  ;  for  God  is 
slow  to  anger  and  of  great  kindness,  not  willing  that  any  should 
perish,  and  he  gives  all  men  more  than  ample  time  in  which  to  re- 
pent. Men  may  say  that  we  are  punished  in  this  world  for  our  sins ; 
so  in  some  cases  we  partially  are,  but  in  many  cases  sin  seems  to 
be  one  long  success,  while  righteousness  goes  unrewarded  and 
trampled  under  foot  of  iniquity.  Men  may  say  that  Christ's  death 
atones  for  all  sin.  So  it  does,  but  in  what  sense  ?  Not  for  the  sin- 
ner who  tramples  the  Son  of  God  under  foot,  and  counts  the  blood 
of  the  covenant  an  unholy  thing,  and  does  despite  to  the  Spirit  of 
grace.  (Heb.  x,  29.)  The  grounds  on  which  the  divine  retribution 
for  persistent  sin  is  denied  cannot  be  the  outcome  of  irresistible  con- 
viction, or  of  any  satisfactory  supposition  that  the  doctrine  of  God's 
word  on  this  point  is  not  true ;  but  of  a  desire  to  avoid  a  doctrine 


THE   FLIGHT   AND  CAPTURE  OF   THE  KING.  81 

that  is  repugnant  to  their  wills,  which  long  to  be  free  from  divine 
government.  Such  denials  can  at  best  but  deaden  the  conscience 
of  men  and  give  them  liberty  (not  divine  liberty)  to  go  on  in  sin,  with 
the  hope  that  grace  may  abound.  The  reader  is  most  earnestly 
commended  to  a  careful  and  repeated  study  of  God's  word  on  the 
subject,  and  especially  to  the  historic  illustrations  of  this  awful  truth 
as  contained  in  the  Bible,  if  he  is  anywise  inclined  to  deny  the  truth 
of  the  final  and  utter  retribution  that  awaits  the  deliberate  sinner. 

II.— THE   FLIGHT   AND   CAPTURE   OF   THE   KING. 

When  the  king  saw  the  city  in  the  possession  of  the  enemy,  he 
hastily  gathered  his  army  and  family,  and  by  night  fled  from  the 
city  by  a  secret  way  through  his  garden,  and  between  two  walls 
which  concealed  his  movements,  (v.  4;  lii,  7;  H.  Kings  xxv,  4.) 
His  flight,  however,  was  of  no  avail ;  for  though  he  nearly  effected 
his  escape,  having  reached  the  borders  of  the  Jordan,  his  absence 
was  discovered,  and  the  Chaldeans  pursued  after  him ;  and  while  his 
army  was  scattered  abroad,  probably  on  a  foraging  expedition,  the 
king  and  his  family  and  the  princes  that  were  with  him  were  cap- 
tured. Too  late  the  king  sought  safety  in  flight.  It  was  not  to  be. 
God  had  decreed  his  capture,  and  no  precaution  could  prevent  it. 
Had  he  heeded  the  warning  of  Jeremiah,  who  brought  him  the  word 
of  God,  and  surrendered  to  the  king  of  Babylon,  his  own  life  would 
have  been  spared,  his  children's  lives  would  have  been  spared,  his 
princes'  lives  would  have  been  spared,  and  the  glorious  City  of  God 
would  have  been  spared.  (Jer.  xxviii,  17-20.)  The  king  was  a  weak 
man,  and  hesitated  to  do  the  word  of  God  because  he  was  afraid  of 
being  taunted  with  cowardice  by  his  nobles  and  the  people.  How 
many  men  are  cowards  before  their  fellow-men,  and  yet  brave  be- 
fore God  !  They  fear  the  reproach  of  weak,  feeble,  and  sinful  men, 
but  fear  not  the  word  of  God.  Surely  the  sorry  flight  of  the  wretched 
king  from  his  ruined  city,  a  fugitive  from  God  and  the  king  of  Baby- 
lon, was  infinitely  more  humiliating  than  an  honorable  surrender  to 
Nebuchadrezzar.  He  would  not  go  out  of  the  city  in  surrender, 
when  he  might  have  done  so  with  safety  to  himself,  his  people,  and 
his  city ;  now  he  seeks  safety  in  flight  when  it  is  too  late.  How 
many  will  seek  salvation  wildly  when  it  is  too  late  !  Let  it  be  re- 
membered again  that,  when  once  the  master  of  the  house  is  risen  up 
and  hath  shut  the  door,  then  flight  or  petition  is  of  none  avail. 
When  once  Jesus  ceases  to  be  the  Advocate  of  sinners  and  becomes 
their  Judge,  then  repentance  is  too  late,  and  no  man  may  flee  the 


82  THE   DOWNFALL   OF   JUDAH. 

judgment.  What  unutterable  miseries  are  added  to  the  main  con- 
sequences of  our  sins,  when  we  think  of  what  "might  have  been," 
had  we  not  been  too  late !  How  conscience  will  sting ;  how  deep 
will  be  our  humiliation ;  what  remorse  at  the  sufferings  which  our 
delays,  our  disastrous  delays,  have  entailed  upon  others.  What  mis- 
eries that  wretched  king-father  must  have  undergone  when  he  saw 
his  children  butchered  before  his  eyes,  and  his  nobles  slain ;  when 
he  remembered  that  all  this  was  the  result  of  his  failure  to  heed  the 
warnings  of  the  prophet  to  leave  the  city  while  he  might  do  so  with 
safety. 

1. — Prophecy  and  its  fulfillment. — In  connection  with  the  flight, 
arrest,  condemnation,  and  punishment  of  the  king,  we  have  a  most 
remarkable  series  of  prophetic  fulfillments.  Ezekiel,  under  the  com- 
mand of  God,  had  before  this  final  calamity,  by  means  of  pantomine, 
as  well  as  by  clear  and  unmistakable  words,  depicted  every  detail  of 
the  king's  flight,  capture,  and  punishment.  Read  Ezekiel  xii,  1-11 ; 
and  then  this  which  follows  (12,  13) :  "And  the  prince  that  is  among 
them  shall  bear  upon  his  shoulders  in  the  twilight,  and  shall  go  forth ; 
they  shall  dig  through  the  wall  to  carry  out  thereby ;  he  shall  cover 
his  face  that  he  see  not  the  ground  with  his  eyes.  My  net  also  will 
I  spread  upon  him,  and  he  shall  be  taken  in  my  snare ;  and  I  will 
bring  him  to  Babylon,  to  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans ;  yet  shall  he  not 
see  it,  though  he  shall  die  there."  Thus  have  we  seen  the  king  laden 
with  his  valuables,  fleeing  at  night,  digging  through  a  wall  to  escape 
the  Chaldeans ;  we  have  seen  God  spreading  his  net,  catching  and 
delivering  him  over,  to  be  first  blinded,  then  loaded  with  chains, 
carried  to  Babylon  and  thrust  into  prison ;  there  we  have  seen  him 
die.  How  impossible  to  have  understood  Ezekiel's  prophecy  until  it 
was  fulfilled ;  how  then  does  it  appear  to  have  been  the  very  letter 
of  subsequent  fact ! 

2. — Arrested,  condemned,  and  punished. — The  details  are  briefly 
but  graphically  told.  When  the  soldiers  arrested  the  flying  king, 
they  brought  him  to  the  king  of  Babylon,  who  (i)  "gave  judgment 
upon  him."  Zedekiah  was,  according  to  the  law  of  nations,  a  traitor 
to  the  king  of  Babylon,  who  had  set  him  upon  the  throne  of  Judah 
as  his  vassal,  and  against  whom  Zedekiah  had  rebelled.  So  while 
the  Chaldean  king  was  carrying  out  God's  decree  against  Zedekiah 
for  his  persistent  sin  and  iniquity,  he  was  also  executing  his  own 
law  upon  him  as  a  rebel.  God's  providence  ever  fits  in  with  the  or- 
dinary workings  of  human  history,  (ii)  The  first  part  of  the  judg- 
ment was  that  the  sons  of  the  king  should  be  butchered  before  his 
eyes.     What  a  horrible  thing  this  was  !     Alas  for  that  poor  king  ! 


THE   BLESSED   POOR.  83 

He  had  brought  this  upon  them.  What  may  be  the  agonies  of  a  sin- 
ful father  who,  through  precept  and  example,  has  encouraged  his 
own  sons  to  infidelity  and  the  final  loss  of  their  souls !  It  will,  I 
think,  be  no  small  part  of  the  torment  of  the  damned,  that  they  shall 
constantly  see  those  about  them  whom  they  led  astray,  and  brought 
to  the  place  of  torment.  Then  followed  the  slaughter  of  the  nobles 
before  his  face  ;  this  too  was  in  part  his  doing ;  for  though  the  king's 
action,  in  holding  out  against  the  king  of  Babylon  contrary  to  the 
counsel  and  entreaty  of  Jeremiah,  was  due  to  his  fear  of  the  nobles, 
yet  as  king  it  was  his  duty  to  have  asserted  his  authority  and  saved 
them  and  the  city  in  spite  of  their  mockeries  of  God's  word,  (iii) 
Finally  the  king  of  Babylon  ordered  Zedekiah's  eyes  to  be  put  out, 
then  loaded  him  with  chains,  sent  him  to  Babylon,  and  there  cast 
him  into  prison,  until  death  released  him  into  the  other  world.  Let 
us  hope  that  a  gate  of  repentance  was  opened  for  him  before  he 
passed  thither.  But  what  an  awful  punishment  for  a  king  and  a 
father !  The  last  impression  on  his  brain  from  this  world  was  the 
awful  sight  of  his  butchered  sons  and  nobles.  Who  can  tell  the  hor- 
rors of  his  lonely  confinement,  shut  up  with  these  memories  forever 
haunting  his  dark  soul?  The  words  of  Abraham  to  the  miserable 
rich  man,  tormented  in  the  flame  of  eternal  punishment,  are  irresist- 
ibly suggested  to  us  :  "  Son,  remember  that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  re- 
ceivedst  thy  good  things  ....  but  now  thou  art  tormented."  (Luke 
xvi,  25.)  Men  choose  the  ways  of  sin  in  this  life,  counting  them  to 
be  "good  things,"  but  they  forget  that  in  the  hereafter  the  "evil 
things "  which  they  contemptuously  denied  will  be  their  portion, 
soured  with  memory's  poisoned  sting.  Instead  of  such  a  fate,  let  us 
pray  devoutly  that  we  may  be  spared  for  the  ' '  good  things  "  that 
God  has  in  reserve  for  them  that  fear  him. 

"  Help,  Lord,  that  we  may  come 
To  thy  saint's  happy  home, 
Where  a  thousand  years 
As  one  day  appears ; 

Nor  go 
Where  one  day  appears 
As  a  thousand  years 

For  woe." 

m.— THE   BLESSED  POOR. 

Only  one  ray  of  light  penetrated  the  dark  cloud  of  doom  that  hung 
over  and  burst  on  Jerusalem.  The  city  burned  with  fire,  the  tem- 
ple destroyed,  her  fair  stones  scattered,  the  king  arid  his  family,  the 


84  THE   DOWNFALL   OF   JUDAH. 

princes  and  nobles  and  all  the  city's  inhabitants  carried  away,  slain, 
or  held  in  a  wretched  captivity,  which  brought  them  naught  but 
sighs  and  tears ;  what  exception  was  there  in  all  this  misery?  Just 
this  ;  and  it  is  not  unsuggestive.  The  wretchedly  and  miserably  poor 
were  left  behind ;  and  more ;  for  the  captain  of  the  guard,  acting  for 
the  king  of  Babylon,  gave  them  fields  and  vineyards.  In  the  general 
judgment  that  overwhelmed  Jerusalem,  the  sparing  of  these  poor 
people  and  the  gift  to  them  of  fields  and  vineyards  suggest  to  us  the 
blessings  that  are  in  reserve  for  those  on  earth  who,  though  "poor 
in  this  world,  are  rich  in  faith,  and  heirs  of  the  kingdom  which  he 
has  promised  to  them  that  love  him."  (James  ii,  5.)  It  also  sug- 
gests the  beatitude  of  Jesus:  "Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for 
theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  "Blessed  are  the  meek,  for  they 
shall  inherit  the  earth."  (Matt,  v,  3,  5.)  Poverty  in  itself  is  no 
guarantee  of  heaven,  but  those  who  have  chosen  the  riches  of  the 
world  rather  than  the  riches  of  God  are  the  truly  poor ;  and  those 
who  have  gone  to  the  wall  in  the  fight  for  the  world's  prizes  rather 
than  contend  unlawfully  by  grinding  their  neighbors  are  the  truly 
meek.  God  will  not  forget  such.  Here  is  seen  God's  reversal.  The 
rich  and  great  of  Jerusalem,  who  had  grown  so  by  grinding  oppres- 
sion of  the  poor,  are  carried  away  captive,  slain  with  the  sword  and 
cast  into  prison,  while  those  whom  they  oppressed  are  now  inheriting 
their  lands  and  vineyards.  (See  Is.  lvii,  15  ;  lxvi,  2.)  Till  the  cap- 
tivity the  poor  were  only  a  portion  of  the  people,  but  now  they  were 
the  whole.  This  event,  therefore,  would  seem  to  indicate  that  the 
poor,  meek  and  contrite  in  spirit,  are  the  whole  sum  of  those  who 
shall  constitute  the  people  of  God  in  the  day  of  judgment.  What 
shall  we  say  to  these  things?  "Seekest  thou  great  things  for  thy- 
self^ Seek  them  not,  for  behold  I  will  bring  evil  upon  all  flesh,  saith 
the  Lord ;  only  thy  life  will  I  give  thee  for  a  prey,  in  all  places 
whither  thou  goest." 


Marcb  13,  1893. 


XL 
PROMISE    OF    A    NEW    HEART.— Ezekiel    xxxvi,    25-38. 

(25)  Then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye  shall  he  clean  :  from  all 
your  filthiness,  and  from  all  your  idols,  will  I  cleanse  you.  (26)  A  new  heart  also 
will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within  you  :  and  I  will  take  away  the 
stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  a  heart  of  flesh.  (27)  And  I  will 
put  my  Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep 
my  judgments,  and  do  them.  (23)  And  ye  shall  dwell  in  the  land  that  I  gave  to  your 
fathers  ;  and  ye  shall  he  my  people,  and  I  will  be  your  God.  (29)  I  will  also  save 
you  from  all  your  uncleannesses :  and  I  will  call  for  the  corn,  and  will  increase  it, 
and  lay  no  famine  upon  you.  (30)  And  I  will  multiply  the  fruit  of  the  tree,  and  the 
increase  of  the  field,  that  ye  shall  receive  no  more  reproach  of  famine  among  the 
heathen.  (31)  Then  shall  ye  remember  your  own  evil  ways,  and  your  doings  tbat 
were  not  good,  and  shall  loathe  yourselves  in  your  own  sight  for  your  iniquities  and 
for  your  abominations.  (32)  Not  for  your  sakes  do  I  this,  saith  the  Lord  God,  be  it 
known  unto  you :  be  ashamed  and  confounded  for  your  own  ways,  O  house  of 
Israel.  (33)  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God;  In  the  day  that  I  shall  have  cleansed  you  from 
all  your  iniquities  I  will  also  cause  you  to  dwell  in  the  cities,  and  the  wastes  shall  be 
builded.  (34)  And  the  desolate  land  shall  be  tilled,  whereas  it  lay  desolate  in  the 
sight  of  all  that  passed  by.  (33)  And  they  shall  say,  This  land  that  was  desolate  is 
become  like  the  garden  of  Eden  ;  and  the  waste  and  desolate  and  ruined  cities  are 
become  fenced,  and  are  inhabited.  (30)  Then  the  heathen  that  are  left  round  about 
you  shall  know  that  I  the  Lord  build  the  ruined  places,  and  plant  that  that  was 
desolate :  I  the  Lord  have  spoken  it,  and  I  will  do  it.  (37)  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
God  ;  I  will  yet  for  this  be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel,  to  do  it  for  them  ;  I 
will  increase  them  with  men  like  a  flock.  (38)  As  the  holy  flock,  as  the  flock  of 
Jerusalem  in  her  solemn  feasts ;  so  shall  the  waste  cities  be  filled  with  flocks  of 
men :  and  they  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord.— Ezekiel  xxxvi,  25-S8. 

God  has  not  utterly  cast  off  his  people,  though  we  have  seen  how 
terribly  he  fulfilled  all  his  threatenings  against  them,  after  failing  by 
precept,  warning,  and  entreaty  to  win  them  away  from  their  sins, 
iniquities,  and  idolatry.  The  heathen  were  used  as  his  instrument 
for  their  chastisement ;  and  they,  not  knowing  that  God  himself  was 
delivering  his  people  into  their  hands,  boasted  themselves  over  the 
people  of  God  and  over  the  land  which  they  had  made  desolate,  say- 
ing in  their  pride :  "Aha,  even  the  ancient  high  places  are  ours  in 
possession."  (vs.  1-6.)  Jehovah,  however,  does  not  suffer  the  hea- 
then to  rejoice  over  his  people  as  though  he  had  utterly  forsaken  and 
forgotten  them.  This  arrogant  and  boastful  conduct  toward  the 
captives,  and  the  heathen's  covetous  and  high-handed  division  of 

85 


86  PROMISE   OF   A   NEW  HEART. 

the  land  of  Israel  among  themselves,  provokes  the  Lord  to  jealousy, 
and  he  turns  now  against  the  heathen  and  toward  his  people.  The 
difference  between  the  heathen  and  the  people  of  God  is  this  :  that 
Israel  has  a  permanent  interest  in  the  power  and  watchful  love  of 
God,  whereas  the  heathen  have  none  at  all.  Therefore,  though  Is- 
rael may  for  a  time  become  the  prey  of  the  heathen,  and  apparently 
be  completely  overwhelmed,  it  is  sure  to  revive  again  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God,  while  the  heathen,  who  seem  to  triumph  for  a  time,  must 
ultimately  fall,  to  rise  no  more  ;  because  a  nation  that  is  without  God, 
having  once  succumbed  to  other  powers,  cannot  rise,  but  must 
simply  become  debris  and  drift  in  the  stream  of  time,  to  be  absorbed 
by  other  new  world-powers,  which  in  turn  will  follow  their  prede- 
cessors in  overthrow  and  ruin.  I  was  much  struck,  a  few  months 
back,  with  the  disposition  of  the  ruins  of  the  great  buildings  of  the 
early  and  later  Romans.  The  Colosseum  itself  was  built  in  part 
from  the  stones  of  older  ruins,  and  the  stones  of  the  ruined  Colos- 
seum again  enter  into  the  construction  of  later  buildings,  them- 
selves now  in  process  of  ruin.  So  it  is  with  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth,  except  the  ancient  people  of  God.  They  indeed  may  be  in 
ruin  so  far  as  their  national  life  is  concerned,  but  God  preserves  even 
their  stones — they  may  not  enter  into  the  construction  of  other  na- 
tions— until  he  shall  build  them  again  in  their  own  land.  Ezekiel 
now  turns  his  face  outward  from  the  captivity,  and  looks  again 
toward  the  desolate  land  and  prophesies  of  its  restoration  to  the 
captive  people  of  God,  sees  its  cities  and  villages  rebuilt,  its  waste 
and  desolate  places  becoming  again  as  the  Garden  of  Eden,  and  the 
uninhabited  land  teeming  with  men  as  fields  with  flocks  of  sheep. 
But  before  this  he  sees  and  promises  to  the  people  a  spiritual  rebuild- 
ing of  themselves.  Before  their  land  is  recovered  and  restored,  they 
must  become  a  regenerate  people,  restored  to  sympathy  with  their 
Preserver.  Whether  the  passage  under  study  refers  to  the  promise 
of  God  to  sinners  in  New  Testament  times,  or  simply  to  the  restora- 
tion of  the  Jews  from  the  informed  captivity,  or  from  the  dispersion 
which  they  are  now  suffering,  is  one  of  those  questions  which  are 
constantly  being  debated  by  different  schools  of  interpreters.  I  can 
see  no  reason  why  the  truth  of  the  prophecy  may  not  be  seen  in  the 
first  return  of  the  Jews  to  their  land,  in  the  spiritual  blessings  in 
connection  with  the  regenerating  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  during 
the  present  dispensation,  and  also  in  the  final  return  of  the  Israel- 
ites to  their  land  from  every  country  and  nation  whither  they  are 
now  dispersed,  after  their  conversion  to  Christ  at  his  appearing  and 
kingdom. 


SPIRITUAL   RENEWAL.  87 


I.— SPIRITUAL  RENEWAL. 

God's  holy  name  had  been  profaned  among  the  heathen  through 
the  captivity  of  the  Jews.  The  heathen  took  occasion  to  mock  and 
scoff  at  God  because  the  Jews  had  been  delivered  into  their  hand, 
and  especially  because  of  the  sins  and  iniquities  of  the  chosen  peo- 
ple. Whenever  a  Christian  either  falls  or  is  afflicted,  the  unbeliev- 
ing part  of  the  world  are  apt  at  once  to  profane  the  holy  name  by 
crying  out :  "Where  is  now  thy  God?"  But  now  God  says,  "I  will 
sanctify  my  great  name  which  was  profaned  among  the  heathen ; 
which  ye  have  profaned  in  the  midst  of  them ;  and  the  heathen  shall 
know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  saith  the  Lord  God,  when  I  shall  be  sanc- 
tified in  you  before  their  eyes."  (v.  23.)  God's  glory  is  so  insepa- 
rably wrapped  up  with  his  people,  that  their  downfall  brings  reproach 
upon  his  name,  and  correspondingly  their  uplifting,  especially  their 
spiritual  exaltation  in  the  beauty  of  holiness,  brings  him  praise. 
Therefore,  when  God  wishes  to  be  sanctified  among  the  heathen,  he 
causes  his  name  to  be  first  glorified  among,  by,  and  in  his  own  peo- 
ple. In  order  to  this  sanctification  of  his  holy  name,  he  proceeds  to 
deliver  them  out  of  the  heathen  lands,  restoring  them  to  their  own, 
and  then  and  there  to  work  out  their  spiritual  regeneration.  We 
may  henceforth  follow  this  historical  regeneration  of  Israel  in  the 
light  of  New  Testament  truth,  and  make  lawful  application  of  it  to 
the  spiritual  blessings  promised  under  the  new  covenant. 

1. — Their  conversion. — "Then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  water  upon 
you,  and  ye  shall  be  clean."  This  famous  passage  cannot,  in  my 
opinion,  be  made,  by  any  ingenuity  of  interpretation,  to  refer  to 
baptism.  The  result  or  effect  of  this  sprinkling  is  never  seen  as  an 
effect  of  baptism :  "From  all  your  filthiness  and  from  all  your  idols 
will  I  cleanse  you."  Now,  baptism  is  never  for  the  purpose  of  put- 
ting away  the  filth  of  the  flesh  (I.  Pet.  iii,  21) ;  and  certainly  it  can- 
not turn  men  from  idols.  There  is  undoubted  reference  to  the  effect 
upon  the  mind,  heart,  and  life,  produced  by  hearing  the  word  of 
God,  through  which  the  soul  sees  how  God  has  provided  forgiveness 
and  justification  by  means  of  the  atonement  of  Christ.  It  is  the 
blessing  for  which  David  prayed  when  he  said  :  "  Wash  me  thoroughly 
from  mine  iniquities,  and  cleanse  me  from  my  sins."  (Ps.  li,  2.) 
Water  cannot  do  that.  Water  is  used  here  simply  as  the  symbol  of 
the  cleansing  power  of  God.  That  this  cleansing  power  is  seen  in 
connection  with  the  word,  which  is  the  vehicle  for  conveying  the 
mind,  heart,  and  conscience,  the  effects  of  the  redemption,  is  seen 


88  PROMISE   OF   A   NEW   HEART. 

in  the  declaration  of  Paul:  "Christ  loved  the  Church  and  gave  him- 
self for  it,  that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of 
water  by  the  word."  (Eph.  v,  25,  26.)  A  further  proof  of  this,  that 
the  water  refers  to  the  cleansing  or,  we  might  say,  the  converting 
power  of  the  word,  is  seen  in  the  effect  of  the  preaching  of  that  word 
in  power  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost  among  the  Thessalonians ;  who, 
when  they  received  the  word  of  the  Gospel,  "turned  from  idols,  to 
serve  the  living  and  true  God."  (I.  Thess.  i,  5,  9.)  This  is  the  second 
effect  of  the  word  of  God.  James  also  tells  men  that  they  are  to 
"lay  aside  all  filthiness  and  superfluity  of  naughtiness,  and  receive 
with  meekness  the  ingrafted  word,  which  is  able  to  save  your  (their) 
souls."    (i,  21.) 

2. — Their  regeneration. — "A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and 
a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within  you ;  and  I  will  take  away  the  stony 
heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  will  give  you  an  heart  of  flesh."  Here 
we  have  a  fuller  description  of  the  work  of  regeneration,  which  is 
the  complement  and  so  far  the  completion  of  conversion.  A  new 
heart  and  a  new  spirit  does  not  mean  another  heart  and  another 
spirit  in  any  sense  of  removal  of  old  and  substitution  of  new  facul- 
ties. "Regeneration  does  not  consist  in  annihilating  the  man,  nor 
in  the  entire  removal  of  sinful  corruption  and  the  old  Adamic  dispo- 
sition, but  in  the  creation  of  an  entirely  new  disposition  and  nature." 
Undoubtedly  something  new  comes  into  a  man's  heart.  Eternal  life, 
the  gift  of  God,  is  the  seed  of  the  regenerate  man,  and  this  working 
in  the  natural  man  brings  forth  a  new  man,  just  as  the  casting  into 
a  mass  of  molten  iron  a  certain  quantity  of  f  erro-manganese  converts 
the  entire  mass  into  finest  steel.  Nothing  is  taken  from  the  iron ; 
something  is  added  to  it  which  changes  its  entire  ' '  disposition  and 
nature."  (II.  Cor.  v,  17;  John  i,  11,  12,  13;  iii,  3,  5,  6.)  This  great 
change  is  further  described  as  the  taking  away  of  a  stony  heart  out 
of  the  flesh  and  substituting  an  heart  of  flesh.  The  unregenerate 
man  has  a  hard  and  obdurate  heart  in  him,  like  a  stone,  which  is  not 
responsive  to  water  (teaching),  and  is  incapable  of  bending  itself  to 
the  will  of  another.  In  the  place  of  this,  God  gives  a  heart  of  flesh, 
plastic  as  well  as  soft  and  sensitive.  The  brittle  iron,  which  is  con- 
verted into  steel,  becomes  soft  and  pliable  and  twice  as  strong.  "  Of 
flesh"  and  "fleshly"  are  two  different  things.  "The  former  may 
always  be  dealt  with;  the  latter  becomes  always  harder." 

3. — The  indwelling  Spirit. — "And  I  will  put  my  spirit  within  you." 
This  is  the  third  step  in  the  direction  of  the  inward  recovery  of  men 
to  God.  First  they  are  converted  under  the  preaching  of  the  word ; 
then  they  are  made  regenerate  by  the  action  of  the  Spirit  of  God 


HOLY   LIVING.  89 

upon  their  natures ;  and  after  that  the  Spirit,  not  as  the  regenerating 
agent  and  power  of  God,  but  as  the  personal  Comforter,  comes  and 
takes  up  his  abode  in  the  heart.  (John  xiv,  23 ;  I.  Cor.  iii,  16.)  The 
man  is  now,  and  by  these  means,  won  back  to  God. 

II.— HOLY  LIVING. 

Reformation  proceeds  upon  an  order  that  first  corrects  the  out- 
ward, and  finally  takes  effect  on  the  inward ;  but  God's  order  is  first 
to  effect  the  inward  and  then  stimulate  and  direct  the  outward  life. 
Hence  we  are  prepared  for  what  follows. 

1. — Statutes  and  judgments. — It  was  the  historic  fact  that  Israel 
had  always  failed  under  the  old  covenant  to  keep  the  statutes  and 
judgments  of  God.  But  now,  with  a  new  heart  and  a  right  dispo- 
sition, with  the  addition  of  the  indwelling  presence  of  God's  Spirit, 
Jehovah  could  cause  his  people  "to  walk  in  his  statutes,  keep  his 
judgments  and  do  them."  Our  holy  walking  is  the  evidence  of  a 
new  life  within  us,  and  while  the  regenerate  sinner  keeps  and  does 
the  statutes  of  God,  it  is  because  God  himself  "works  in  him  to 
will  and  to  do";  who  first  "repairs  us  unto  every  good  work,"  and 
then  "works  in  us  to  do  that  which  is  well  pleasing  in  his  sight." 
(Phil,  ii,  13 ;  Eph.  iii,  20  ;  Heb.  xiii,  21.)  The  proof  of  regeneration 
is  seen  in  a  holy  and  obedient  walk ;  the  power  of  a  holy  life  is 
the  inward  energy  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  teaching,  and  guiding,  and 
strengthening. 

2. — Divine  communion. — "And  ye  shall  dwell  in  the  land  that 
I  gave  your*  fathers  ;  and  ye  shall  be  my  people  and  I  will  be  your 
God."  This  is  a  beautiful  description  of  heavenly  communion. 
God  has  made  a  home  for  us  on  the  earth,  and  in  this  earthly  home 
we  dwell  in  peace  as  his  people,  and  have  always  confidence,  know- 
ing that  he  is  our  God.  "Our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father  and 
with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  All  regenerate  men  stand  in  the  cove- 
nant of  grace  with  God,  and  one  of  the  chief  articles  of  that  cove- 
nant is,  that  we  shall  dwell  with  God  and  be  his  people  while  he  is 
our  God.     These  are  they  who  truly  inherit  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 

3. — Sanctification. — The  first  blessing  was  the  cleansing  from 
filthiness.  Now  that  we  are  fairly  his  children  by  a  new  birth,  and 
in  communion  with  him,  God  promises  to  keep  us  from  falling  back 
into  sin  (Jude  24),  and  to  save  us  from  all  our  uncleanness.  Re- 
generation is  not  sanctification,  but  only  the  incoming  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  as  a  new  power  in  our  lives.  His  work  in  us  is  to  save  us 
from  the  inward  corruptions  of  nature  and  the  flesh,  and  to  present 


90  PROMISE   OF   A   NEW   HEART. 

us  at  last  before  the  Glory  without  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such 
thing.  Jesus  is  Jesus  because  he  saves  his  people,  not  in  their  sins, 
or  with  their  sins,  but  from  their  sins.  Now  we  are  no  longer  under 
the  law,  but  under  grace,  and  sin  need  have  no  more  dominion  over 
us,  for  we  are  no  longer  debtors  to  the  flesh  to  live  after  the  flesh. 
(Rom.  vi,  14;  viii,  12.) 

4. — All  need  supplied. — God  is  not  a  Father  to  us  in  vain. 
He  does  not  leave  us  to  our  own  resources,  either  for  inward  victory 
over  sin  or  outward  supply.  He  does  not  bring  us  into  a  good  land 
and  large,  to  die  of  starvation  or  to  perish  from  want.  "I  will  call 
for  the  corn  and  increase  it,  and  lay  no  famine  upon  you."  "I  will 
multiply  the  fruit  of  the  tree  and  the  increase  of  the  field,  that  ye 
receive  no  more  reproach  of  famine  among  the  heathen."  It  is  com- 
mon for  the  world  to  say  that  to  embrace  God  as  Saviour  is  to  cut 
one's  self  off  from  the  necessary  things  of  life,  or  at  least  from  its 
good  things.  This  is  not  so.  He  that  seeks  first  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven  has  God's  word  for  the  supply  of  all  needful  things.  He 
will  withhold  no  good  thing  from  them  that  walk  uprightly.  In  their 
sins  Israel  suffered  famine,  and  the  heathen  reproached  them  for 
having  a  God  that  left  them  to  starve  for  bread.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  famine  came  to  them  when  they  turned  to  idols ;  if  they  had 
hearkened  to  the  word  of  God,  then  would  he  have  fed  them  with 
the  finest  of  wheat.  There  is  a  deeper  significance  in  the  text  than 
that  which  looks  to  the  supply  of  physical  need.  There  shall  be  no 
famine  of  soul  as  there  was  when  they  were  in  the  land  serving  idols. 
Their  soul's  hunger  should  be  fully  satisfied  with  God.  In  both  these 
senses  the  promise  may  be  taken.  "To  the  heavenly  among  men 
there  is  no  lack  even  on  earth ;  to  him  who  has  what  alone  is  worth 
having,  there  shall  be  nothing  wanting."  In  the  evident  fullness  of 
the  Christian's  supply  of  earthly  need,  or  in  the  sublimer  content- 
ment which  marks  the  true  child  of  God  even  in  poverty,  the  heathen 
(unbelievers)  shall  see  the  hand  of  God,  and  will  no  longer  reproach 
him  as  having  abandoned  his  people. 

5. — Self-loathing. — After  all  this  grace  comes  to  the  believer, 
there  is  such  a  sense  of  gratitude  as  turns  itself  into  an  instrument 
to  stir  up  the  memory  of  past  transgression,  which  in  turn  brings 
about  a  self-loathing,  destined  to  go  on  till  the  very  bottom  of  the 
evil  nature  is  reached  and  the  whole  being  is  given  up  to  God.  It 
is  no  doubt  true  that  a  repentance,  or  change  of  mind,  precedes  re- 
generation, but  all  truly  regenerate  people  agree  that  the  repentance 
and  deep  self-loathing  on  account  of  present  corruption  and  past  in- 
iquities comes  subsequent  to  the  new  birth.     Some  one  says  that 


THE   MISSION   OF   THE   REGENERATE.  91 

our  life  must  become  sorrow  to  us,  or  sorrow  will  not  become  life. 
This  apprehension  of  our  deep  sinfulness  is  the  true  corrective  of 
that  self-complacency  which  is  so  often  the  death  of  all  spiritual  life. 
It  was  not  until  long  after  Paul's  conversion  that  he  said,  "I  know 
that  in  me  (that  is,  in  my  flesh)  there  dwelleth  no  good  thing."  (Rom. 
vii,  18.)  If  God  stirs  up  the  substratum  of  corruption  that  is  within 
us,  it  is  only  that  he  may  remove  it.  If  he  stirs  up  our  memory  to 
take  knowledge  of  old  sins  that  have  been  forgotten,  it  is  only  that 
we  may  bring  them  up  to  judgment  and  have  them  cast  behind  his 
back.  Thank  God  for  the  workings  of  his  Holy  Spirit  to  make  clear- 
ance of  sin  out  of  our  lives. 

6. — All  of  grace. —  "Not  for  your  sakes  do  I  this,  saith  the  Lord 
God."  This  restoration  and  regeneration,  keeping  an  abundant  sup- 
ply, was  not  a  reward  of  any  righteousness  found  in  his  people. 
Had  he  dealt  on  that  principle,  they  would  have  been  overwhelmed 
in  confusion  and  utter  destruction.  He  wants  them  to  know  that 
his  salvation  is  all  of  grace,  that  their  doings  were  only  such  as 
should  make  them  ashamed  and  confounded.  Certainly  every  re- 
generate person  knows  the  full  meaning  of  this.  It  is  a  truth  that 
is  repeated  many  times  in  the  Bible,  yet  which  we  are  as  slow  to 
learn  as  it  is  important  for  us  to  learn  it.  It  is  a  truth  which  serves 
to  keep  us  in  hope  and  yet  in  humility.  In  hope  because,  in  spite 
of  our  abominations,  there  is  grace  with  God  that  bringeth  salvation  ; 
in  humility  because,  in  spite  of  our  salvation,  there  is  that  in  our 
lives,  present  and  past,  which  would  but  for  grace  consign  us  to  the 
lowest  pit. 

III.—  THE   MISSION  OF   THE   REGENERATE. 

The  end  of  our  salvation  is  not  simply  to  be  cleansed  from  sin 
and  brought  into  communion  with  God ;  nor  are  we  to  spend  our  time 
in  a  mere  life  of  introspection.  There  is  work  for  us  to  do.  Sin 
had  ruined  the  holy  land,  desolated  its  cities,  and  left  its  fair  fields 
to  the  boar  and  the  wild  beast.  So  soon  as  God  shall  cleanse  his 
people,  the  prophet  tells  us  for  Jehovah  that  he  will  cause  them  to 
dwell  in  the  cities,  and  the  waste  places  shall  be  rebuilt.  The  deso- 
late land  shall  be  tilled  again  and  the  ruined  cities  shall  be  repeo- 
pled  and  fenced.  And  people  shall  see  it  and  say,  "  This  land  has 
become  like  the  garden  of  Eden."  The  life  and  works  of  the  re- 
generate tend  to  make  everything  around  him  beautiful,  and  the 
effect  is  to  attract  the  attention  of  those  who  have  seen  the  effects 
of  sin  and  to  communicate  to  the  unbeliever  the  knowledge  of  God. 


92  PROMISE   OF   A  NEW   HEART. 

uYe  are  God's  husbandry;  ye  are  God's  building."  (I.  Cor.  iii,  9.) 
In  the  light  of  this  text  the  sanctification  of  character  and  life,  by 
which  the  doctrine  of  Christ  is  adorned,  is  the  great  testimony  to  the 
world  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel.  In  addition  to  this,  we  are  to 
build  up  each  other  and  to  extend  such  nurture  to  those  who  need  it 
as  will  cause  them  to  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God.  It  is  not  theoret- 
ical but  practical  Christianity  that  convinces  the  world  of  the  truth 
of  the  Gospel.  This  is  the  end  of  our  salvation  in  the  earth.  Do 
not  let  us  forget  it,  for  "I  the  Lord  have  spoken  it,  and  will  do  it." 
If  we  are  not  doing  it  or  he  is  not  doing  it  in  and  through  us,  then 
we  are  not  his.  "  Show  me  thy  faith  without  thy  works,  and  I  will 
show  thee  my  faith  by  my  works." 

IV.— PRAYER  AND  ITS  RESULTS. 

In  view  of  all  these  great  promises  and  assurances  of  blessing  to 
the  people  of  God,  yet  in  captivity,  the  Lord  adds  a  word  of  instruc- 
tion and  a  further  promise. 

1.— Prayer  essential  to  the  blessing  of  God. — "I  will  yet  for 
this  be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel  to  do  it  for  them."  God 
tells  us  what  he  has  devised  and  has  in  store  for  us ;  but  he  assures 
us  that  these  blessings  must  be  so  appreciated  that  we  will  seek 
him  for  them,  and  that  in  such  faith  and  earnestness  that  there 
shall  be  no  doubt  of  our  sincerity  in  asking.  Prayer  is  not  a  meri- 
torious but  a  necessary  condition.  God  knows  what  we  need  with- 
out our  asking,  and  has  prepared  his  gifts  not  for  our  asking,  but  for 
his  own  name's  sake,  yet  he  will  be  asked.  Time  and  space  do  not 
allow  opportunity  of  explaining  this  necessity.  Let  us  accept  it 
and  put  ourselves  in  communication  with  God  concerning  the  things 
promised. 

2. — The  fruit  of  prayer. — While  we  pray  for  things  which  God 
promises  us,  God  is  planning  through  us  to  bring  like  blessings  to 
others.  "I  will  increase  them  with  men  like  a  flock.  As  the  holy 
flock,  as  the  flock  of  Jerusalem  in  her  solemn  feast,  so  shall  the 
waste  cities  be  filled  with  flocks  of  men ;  and  they  shall  know  that  I 
am  the  Lord."  The  last  clause  evidently  points  to  the  conversion 
of  many  heathen  who  see  the  salvation  of  God  coming  to  his  own 
people,  (v.  36. )  When  we  are  cleansed,  purged,  have  a  new  heart 
and  a  right  spirit,  when  the  joys  of  salvation  are  restored  to  us,  then 
it  is  that  we  teach  transgressors  God's  ways  and  sinners  are  con- 
verted unto  him. 


March  20, 


XII. 

REVIEW   OR    OPTIONAL    LESSON. 


(9S1 


March  27,  1892. 


XIII. 

THE    BLESSINGS    OF  THE    GOSPEL— Isaiah  xxxv,    1-10. 

(1)  The  wilderness  and  the  solitary  place  shall  be  glad  for  them;  and  the  desert 
shall  rejoice,  and  blossom  as  the  rose.  (2)  It  shall  blossom  abundantly,  and  rejoice 
even  with  joy  and  singing  :  the  glory  of  Lebanon  shall  be  given  unto  it,  the  excel- 
lency of  Carmel  and  Sharon;  they  shall  see  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  and  the  excellency 
of  our  God.  (3)  Strengthen  ye  the  weak  hands,  and  confirm  the  feeble  knees.  (4) 
Say  to  them  that  are  of  a  fearful  heart,  Be  strong,  fear  not:  behold,  your  God  will 
come  with  vengeance,  even  God  with  a  recompense;  he  will  come  and  save  you.  (5) 
Then  the  eyes  of  the  blind  shall  be  opened,  and  the  cars  of  the  deaf  shall  be 
unstopped.  (6)  Then  shall  the  lame  man  leap  as  a  hart,  and  the  tongue  of  the 
dumb  siug :  for  in  the  wilderness  shall  waters  break  out.  and  streams  in  the  desert. 
(7)  And  the  parched  ground  shall  become  a  pool,  and  the  thirsty  land  springs  of 
water:  in  the  habitation  of  dragons,  where  each  lay,  shall  be  grass,  with  reeds  and 
rushes.  (8)  And  a  highway  shall  be  there,  and  a  way,  and  it  shall  be  called  The 
way  of  holiness;  the  unclean  shill  not  pass  over  it;  but  it  shall  be  for  those:  the 
wayfaring  men,  though  fools,  shall  not  err  therein.  (9)  No  lion  shall  be  there,  nor 
any  ravenous  beast  shall  go  up  thereon,  it  shall  not  he  found  there;  but  the  redeemed 
shall  walk  there :  (10)  And  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord  shall  return,  and  come  to 
Zion  with  songs  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads:  they  shall  ottain  joy  and 
gladness,  and  sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee  away. 

The  thirty-fourth  and  the  thirty-fifth  chapters  of  Isaiah  are  "by  the 
best  scholars  supposed  to  constitute  one  entire  and  complete  proph- 
ecy, not  connected  specially,  or  at  least  organically,  with  what  goes 
before  or  follows.  It  is  a  masterpiece  of  poetry.  A  single  poem 
divided  into  two  parts ;  in  the  first  part,  the  prophet  sets  forth  in 
lurid  colors  the  universal  judgments  of  God  upon  all  the  nations  of 
the  earth  which  have  arrayed  themselves  against  him  and  oppressed 
his  people.  As  an  instance  of  what  shall  come  upon  all,  he  selects 
a  single  nation,  that  of  the  Edomites,  and  shows  forth  in  them  what 
shall  come  upon  all.  This  awful  storm  of  wrath  passes  away ;  and 
we  see  in  the  "  clear  shining  after  rain  "  the  beautiful  prospect  which 
is  opened  up  to  both  earth  and  man,  when  God's  enemies  cease  from 
troubling  and  his  people  are  gathered  unto  himself.  The  almost  uni- 
versal habit  of  spiritualizing  this,  and  all  like  prophecies,  and 
allegorizing  them  into  an  exclusive  application  to  present  Gospel 
blessings,  has  served  to  hide  the  chief  significance  of  the  passage 
from  the  eyes  of  the  ordinary  reader.  The  promise  of  this  glorious 
chapter  is  without  doubt  primarily  and  chiefly  to  the  Jews,  referring 

94 


THE   REJOICING   CREATION.  95 

to  their  final  restoration  to  their  own  land  in  the  last  days.  That 
it  has  a  preliminary  reference  to  the  return  from  the  Babylonian 
captivity  is  possible,  but  it  looks  far  beyond  that  time  to  the  return 
from  the  dispersion  which  the  Jews  are  now  suffering.  Even  the  joy 
of  that  'first  return  did  not  fulfill  the  glorious  promises  of  this  vision. 
The  awful  judgments  portrayed  in  the  previous  chapter  correspond 
too  exactly  with  that  time  of  desolation  and  destruction,  everywhere 
in  the  New  Testament  described  as  to  take  place  just  before  the  re- 
turn of  the  Lord,  to  leave  us  in  doubt  as  to  the  time  when  the  glo- 
rious predictions  of  the  thirty-fifth  chapter  will  be  fulfilled.  God's 
day  of  vengeance,  and  the  year  of  his  redeemed,  are  thus  set  side  by 
side.  (Compare  with  lxi,  2 ;  and  lxiii,  4,  with  Matt,  xxiv,  27-31 ; 
Luke  xxi,  25-28.)  But  while  this  is  undoubtedly  the  place  in  time 
in  which  to  look  for  the  fulfillment  of  this  prophecy,  there  is  no  doubt 
that  the  spiritual  truth  underlying  it  is  of  universal  application  to 
the  people  of  God  in  all  ages,  included  both  in  the  earthly  people  of 
God  and  in  the  Church  of  Christ.  If  in  reading  prophecy  we  would 
only  always  keep  in  mind  the  simple  truth  that  the  whole  human 
race  is  divided  in  the  Scriptures '  into  three  main  classes,  the  Jew, 
the  Gentile,  and  the  Church  of  Christ,  we  would  avoid  much  confu- 
sion. In  interpreting  prophecy  strictly  according  to  its  evident 
meaning,  we  need  lose  nothing  of  its  spiritual  or  even  its  allegorical 
worth.  For  "the  outward  incidents  of  the  Jewish  people  have  a 
singularly  close  correspondence  with  the  inward  experiences  of 
human  souls  in  Christian  times.  The  captivity  of  Egypt,  and  also 
that  of  Babylon  (also  the  dispersion),  find  their  analogy  in  the  state 
of  spiritual  bondage,  which  is  the  constant  penalty  of  sin.  The  way 
back  to  Jerusalem  stands  for  our  homeward  journey  as  we  travel  to 
the  city  of  the  blest.  As  here  described,  there  stand  several  features 
in  which  the  one  answers  strikingly  and  instructively  to  the  other." 
With  this  understanding  we  shall  endeavor  to  get  from  this  beauti- 
ful portion  of  God's  word  not  only  a  glimpse  of  its  literal  significance 
in  respect  of  the  ancient  and  now  dispersed,  but  miraculously  pre- 
served, people  of  God,  but  also  such  practical  lessons  as  will  serve 
our  own  need,  and  delight  our  own  hearts  with  the  hope  of  final  and 
glorious  salvation. 

I.— THE   REJOICING   CREATION. 

It  is  almost  impossible  not  to  associate  the  magnificent  opening 
words  of  this  chapter  with  the  hope  held  out  to  the  "whole  creation 
which  travaileth  and  groaneth  in  pain  together  until  now,  waiting 


96  THE   BLESSINGS   OF   THE   GOSPEL. 

for  the  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God,  when  it  shall  also  be  deliv- 
ered from  the  bondage  of  corruption  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the 
children  of  God."     (Rom.  vii,  19-23.) 

"  The  wilderness  and  the  solitary  places  shall  be  glad  for  them." 
This  is  a  beautiful  picture  of  the  sympathy  of  the  earth  with  man. 
Not  only  do  the  beautiful  parts  of  the  earth  rejoice  with  the  home- 
coming of  man  from  his  wanderings  from  God,  but  the  very  wilder- 
ness and  solitary  places  rejoice  and  are  glad  for  them,  because  also 
in  man's  redemption  the  creation  which  was  cursed  for  man's  sake  is 
set  free  from  that  curse.  The  gladness  which  is  here  ascribed  to  the 
inanimate  creation  corresponds  with  the  songs  and  everlasting  joy 
which  crown  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  on  their  return.  The  arid 
sandy  deserts  and  the  solitary  places  of  the  earth  shall  suddenly  take 
on  a  glorious  new  life  and  become  as  fruitful  and  beautiful  as  the 
noblest  of  God's  creation.  The  glory  of  Lebanon  shall  be  given  unto 
them  and  the  excellency  of  Carmel  and  Sharon.  Two  other  things 
are  ascribed  to  the  creation.  They  are  represented  as  consciously 
participating  in  the  great  goodness  of  God  to  man.  They  rejoice 
even  with  joy  and  singing ;  and  they  see  the  glory  of  the  Lord  and 
the  excellency  of  our  God.  It  is  the  habit  of  our  prophet  thus  to 
invest  nature  with  consciousness  and  intelligence.  It  is  the  habit 
of  all  scriptural  writers  to  put  man  and  Nature  into  close  sympathy 
with  each  other,  declaring  that  God  is  the  maker  of  both.  There  is 
a  great  spiritual  as  well  as  poetic  truth  in  this.  How  powerfully  are 
we  affected  by  plastic  nature  !  How  responsive  the  soil,  the  fruits 
of  earth,  and  trees  of  the  forest  to  the  loving  touch  and  sympathy 
of  man  !  Who  does  not  know  how  wonderfully  different  all  nature 
seemed  to  us  when  we  were  first  converted  to  God.  The  very  sun 
took  on  new  splendor ;  the  stars  and  the  moon  shone  and  twinkled 
almost  with  intelligent  joy  to  us  ;  and  the  woods  and  the  flowers,  and 
the  streams  and  the  pools  of  water,  all  seemed  to  participate  in  the 
gladness  of  our  salvation.  What  a  world  of  beauty  this  will  be  when 
the  curse  is  removed  and  man  and  Nature,  so  manifestly  made  for 
each  other,  shall  rejoice  and  be  glad  together  ! 

II.— THE    BLESSINGS   OF   SALVATION. 

The  outline  of  blessing  which  the  prophet  sets  before  us  is  not 
complete,  but  simply  consists  of  a  few  bold  strokes,  serving  to  fill  us 
with  the  hope  of  perfect  and  complete  recovery  to  God. 

1. — Men  shall  see  God. — The  vision  of  God  has  already  been 
ascribed  in  a  metaphorica]  sense  to  the  inanimate  creation.     It  is 


THE   BLESSINGS   OF   SALVATION.  97 

certainly  true  that,  aniong  the  chiefest  blessings  of  salvation,  is  the 
vision  of  God.  When  Jesus  came  into  the  world,  we  are  told  that  in 
him  we  beheld  the  glory  of  God,  full  of  grace  and  truth.  We  are 
also  told  that  the  first  effect  of  the  new  birth  is  the  ability  of  the 
sinner  to  see  God.  The  purification  of  the  heart  which  comes  with 
the  new  life  of  God  in  the  soul,  carries  with  it  the  promise  of  seeing 
God.  (John  i,  14;  iii,  3;  Matt,  v,  8;  II.  Cor.  iii,  18.)  But  there  is 
manifestly  something  more  than  this  meant.  "  They  shall  see  the 
glory  of  Jehovah  and  the  excellency  of  our  God."  This  can  refer  to 
nothing  else  than  that  beatific  vision  of  God  spoken  of  by  Paul  in  I. 
Cor.  xiii,  12 ;  by  John  in  the  Revelation  xxii,  4.  Yet  again,  if  we 
are  to  include  the  saints  of  the  Church  in  this  prophecy,  then  we 
shall  also  have  to  look  for  a  more  literal  fulfillment  still.  When  the 
Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven  in  power  and  great  glory 
(Matt,  xxvi,  64 ;  Dan.  vii,  13 ;  John  i,  51 ;  I.  Thess.  iv,  16 ;  Rev.  i,  7), 
then  the  scattered  Jews  shall  see  their  long-rejected  Lord,  as  Saul  of 
Tarsus  saw  him  on  the  way  to  Damascus  (Acts  ix,  3),  and  be  in- 
stantly converted,  and  start  on  their  homeward  way,  greeted  by  all 
the  smiling  and  rejoicing  flowers  and  trees  and  pools  and  newly  fer- 
tilized wildernesses  and  waste  places  of  the  earth.  Yet  again  this 
blessing  is  in  store  for  the  Church,  even  before  its  time  for  the  Jews. 
For  our  citizenship  is  in  heaven,  from  whence  also  we  look  for  the 
Saviour ;  and  when  he  shall  appear  we  shall  be  like  him,  for  we  shall 
see  him  as  he  is ;  and  beholding  his  face,  we  shall  have  his  name 
written  in  our  foreheads.  (Phil,  iii,  21 ;  I.  John  iii,  2 ;  Rev.  xxii,  4.) 
Hitherto  it  has  been  declared  that  no  man  could  see  God's  face  and 
live  (Ex.  xxxiii,  20),  but  now,  since  God  has  both  veiled  and  re- 
vealed his  glory  in  Christ  Jesus,  we  cannot  live  without  looking  upon 
it,  first  spiritually  as  it  is  in  Christ  Jesus  (II.  Cor.  iii,  18),  and  then 
actually  when  he  shall  appear  in  glory.  During  all  these  dark  cent- 
uries the  veil  has  been  over  the  eyes  of  the  Jews,  but  in  this  time 
the  veil  shall  be  taken  away  and  they  shall  see  the  face,  the  glory, 
the  excellency  of  Jehovah-God. 

2. — They  shall  strengthen  and  encourage  each  other. — This  is 
most  probably  a  retrospective  exhortation.  In  view  of  this  promise 
and  the  certain  coming  of  Jehovah  and  their  restoration,  they  are 
exhorted  to  strengthen  and  encourage  each  other.  There  are  those 
whose  hands  are  weak,  whose  knees  are  feeble.  They  cannot  fight 
the  good  fight  of  faith  with  courage,  they  cannot  run  with  patience 
the  race  that  is  set  before  them.  The  long  delays  and  afflictions  ex- 
perienced during  the  time  of  waiting  has  taken  not  only  the  courage 
out  of  many,  but  has  filled  them  with  despair.     Therefore  they  were 


98  THE   BLESSINGS   OF    THE   GOSPEL. 

to  say  to  those  of  a  fearful  heart  or  of  hasty  tendency  to  unbelief : 
"Be  strong,  fear  not;  behold  your  God  will  come  with  vengeance; 
even  God  with  a  recompense ;  he  will  come  and  save  you."  Thus 
the  prophet  calls  upon  the  strong  to  impart  their  strength  to  the 
weak  and  their  faith  and  courage  to  the  faint-hearted.  The  New 
Testament  writers  transfer  the  spirit,  and  in  part,  the  very  words  of 
this  exhortation  to  the  saints  of  the  Church  of  God.  Especially  does 
the  author  of  the  epistle  to  the  suffering  and  sorely  tempted  Hebrews 
take  the  very  words,  applying  them  to  their  comfort  and  edification. 
' '  Wherefore  lift  up  the  hands  which  fall  down,  and  the  feeble  knees  ; 
and  make  straight  paths  for  your  feet,  lest  that  which  is  lame  be 
turned  out  of  the  way ;  but  rather  let  it  be  healed."  (xii,  12.)  Paul 
distinctly  exhorts  the  Galatians  to  be  on  the  lookout  to  help  and 
restore  those  believers  who  have  been  overtaken  by  faults,  and  to 
bear  one  another's  burdens  (vi,  1),  and  again  he  says  distinctly : 
"We  that  are  strong  ought  to  bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak." 
(Rom.  xv,  1.)  If  only  we  who  are  filled  with  the  "hope  of  his  com- 
ing," and  who  have  been  able  by  grace  to  maintain  any  degree  of 
spirituality,  would  keep  constantly  before  us  the  hope  and  assurance 
of  his  coming,  would  diligently  lift  up  the  hands  that  hang  down  and 
strengthen  the  feeble  knees,  would  encourage  and  inspire  the  faint- 
hearted and  discouraged,  would  heal  and  restore  the  backsliders, 
how  different  would  the  Church  appear,  how  different  would  she  be 
in  this  world  !  What  a  testimony  she  would  give  !  what  power  she 
would  exercise ! 

3. — Infirmities  shall  be  removed. — Here  is  a  glorious  promise. 
Not  only  shall  the  earth  be  restored  to  primitive  beauty,  clothed  with 
redemption  glory,  and  filled  with  an  almost  conscious  sympathy  and 
joy,  but  all  the  infirmities  which  sin  has  entailed  on  our  poor  sinful 
human  nature  shall  bo  removed.  In  view  of  this  entire  deliverance 
from  all  the  consequences  of  sin,  along  with  the  people  of  Jehovah, 
the  sore  spots  of  earth  shall  be  healed  too.  Waters  in  the  wilder- 
ness, streams  in  the  desert,  pools  covering  the  parched  sand,  and 
springs  bursting  out  of  thirsty  lands ;  no  longer  a  mirage  thrown  up 
from  a  few  turfs  of  dried  herbage,  but  veritable  grass  with  reeds  and 
rushes  shall  greet  the  returning  and  healed  pilgrims.  The  begin- 
ning of  this  marvel  of  redemption  came  when  Jesus  was  first  here, 
opening  blind  eyes,  healing  lame  limbs,  unlocking  deaf  ears,  and 
loosing  silent  tongues.  Our  Lord's  miracles  of  physical  healing  were 
the  type  and  foreshadowing  of  those  far  deeper  spiritual  blessings 
which  he  came  to  give  to  man,  the  opening  of  the  eyes  of  our  under- 
standings, unstopping  our  deaf  ears  to  hear  his  word,  loosing  our 


THE   WAY   HOME.  99 

silent  tongues  and  filling  our  mouths  with  songs  of  praise,  and  sin- 
ewing our  paralyzed  powers  for  new  and  blessed  service.  And  yet, 
further  on  in  the  progress  of  his  Messianic  work  and  saving  power, 
it  points  to  the  time  when  these  bodies  of  ours,  humiliated  by  sin 
and  brought  under  the  power  of  disease,  sickness,  and  death,  shall 
be  changed  by  the  resurrection  power  of  immortality  and  fashioned 
like  unto  his  glorious  body.  (Phil,  iii,  21.)  What  an  inspiration  to 
faith,  courage,  and  constancy  these  wonderful  promises  are ;  and 
what  measures  of  strength  we  lose  by  not  laying  hold  of  them  and 
turning  them  into  practical  use  !  Surely,  if  we  have  the  will  to  do 
the  will  of  God,  we  shall  know  of  this  doctrine  whether  it  be  of  God. 

in.— THE   WAY  HOME. 

Now  follows  a  wondrous  picture  of  the  way  of  the  return  for  the 
long  absent  wanderer.  The  way  of  the  transgressor  is  hard,  and  the 
world  away  from  God  is  a  barren  and  thirsty  land ;  but  so  soon  as 
the  face  is  set  toward  God  and  heaven,  heaven's  God  makes  the  way 
of  return  easy  and  sure.  The  dispersion  of  the  Jews  was  a  way  of 
misery.  Peeled,  scattered,  and  driven  forth  by  every  by-path 
throughout  the  world,  they  shall  come  back  by  a  highway  that  God 
himself  shall  build,  without  obstacle  or  hindrance.  He  will  make 
paths  for  them  through  the  desert  which  shall  welcome  their  return 
with  flowers  and  pools  of  water,  and  the  waste  places  shall  welcome 
them  with  songs  of  gladness.  In  the  return  of  the  Jews  to  God  and 
their  own  land  we  behold  the  truth  of  the  spiritual  way  which  God 
has  prepared  for  every  sinner  to  return  to  him,  and  by  him  to  heaven. 

1. — It  is  an  highway. — "An  highway  shall  be  there."  A  broad 
and  open  way,  cast  up  and  distinguished  from  all  other  roads  and 
tracks.  It  has  both  breadth  and  narrowness.  Broad  enough  for  all 
the  world  to  travel  over, — and  he  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved, — 
and  yet  in  the  highway  there  is  a  "narrow  way,"  in  which  every 
man  must  walk  for  himself,  alone  and  yet  not  alone — alone  in  that 
he  must  believe  for  himself ;  not  alone,  in  that  others  are  walking 
with  him  on  the  same  terms  and  surrounded  by  the  same  conditions. 
"  Whosoever  will,  let  him  come,"  and  yet  let  everyone  know  that 
the  path  in  the  highway  is  straight  and  narrow. 

2. — It  is  a  way  of  Holiness. — That  is,  it  is  a  way  clean  in  itself, 
and  only  for  the  clean  to  traverse.  "The  unclean  shall  not  pass 
over  it."  Drunkards,  liars,  adulterers,  fornicators,  covetous,  idol- 
aters, and  extortioners,  may  not  walk  in  that  way.  It  is  not  for 
them.     They  may  approach  to  the  highway  encouraged  by  the  invi- 


100  THE   BLESSINGS   OF   THE   GOSPEL. 

tation  to  "  whosoever  will,"  but  as  they  enter  the  highway  and  find 
in  it  the  gate  to  the  narrow  way,  they  will  discover  that  it  is  too 
narrow  to  take  them  and  their  sins  along ;  they  must  either  forsake 
their  way,  or  else  be  turned  back  from  God's.  For  none  of  these  sins 
shall  see  or  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.  When  the  scoffer  points 
to  such  characters  in  the  " visible"  Church,  the  sufficient  answer  is 
that  the  Church  is  not  the  way,  but  Jesus  himself  is  the  Way,  and 
all  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus  are  new  creatures,  old  things  having 
passed  away  and  all  things  having  become  new.     (II.  Cor.  v,  17.) 

3. — God  is  with  them  in  the  way. — For  such  is  the  meaning  of 
the  expression :  "It  shall  be  for  those."  God's  children  have  in  a 
sense  to  walk  alone,  and  entering  this  way,  they  have  to  break  with 
many  who  in  the  days  of  their  flesh  were  their  companions,  but  the 
presence  and  companionship  of 'God  with  them  in  the  way  will  more 
than  compensate.  I  do  not  think  that  Enoch  was  lonesome  for  one 
single  moment  in  all  those  three  hundred  years  in  which  he  walked 
with  God.  Moreover,  if  God  walks  with  each  one  of  his  people,  the 
company  suddenly  becomes  very  large,  for  it  consists  of  all  who  are 
walking  with  God.  No  man  who  knows  the  fellowship  of  God  and 
the  saints  ever  misses  the  company  of  the  world. 

4. — It  is  a  way  of  perfect  plainness. — No  one  need  fear  getting 
lost  in  this  way.  It  is  so  simple  and  straightforward,  so  guarded 
and  marked,  that  the  simple  and  unlearned  need  not  err  therein. 
On  the  highways  cast  up  to  the  cities  of  refuge,  there  were  sign- 
boards inscribed  so  legibly  that  the  running  fugitive  could  read  the 
sign  as  he  ran.  But  this  way  is  even  more  plain  ;  for  an  unlearned 
and  illiterate  man  need  not  err  therein.  "He  that  followeth  me," 
saith  Jesus,  "shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of 
life."  Besides,  God  has  promised  to  hold  us  by  our  right  hand,  and 
to  keep  us  from  falling.     (Is.  xli,  13;  Jude  24.) 

5. — It  is  a  safe  way. — No  lion  or  any  ravenous  beast  shall  be 
there,  nor  be  permitted  to  go  up  thereon.  God  has  cleared  the  way 
of  enemies,  so  far  as  their  ability  to  harm  us  is  concerned.  It  was 
only  when  "Christian"  turned  out  of  the  way  that  he  met  the  devil 
and  had  to  fight  him,  and  even  when  the  lions  fiercely  growled  at 
him,  he  discovered  that,  by  keeping  in  the  middle  of  the  path,  they 
could  not  approach  him,  being  chained.  The  most  of  our  enemies 
are  not  able  to  do  more  than  bark  at  us.  In  the  highway  of  holi- 
ness and  in  the  narrow  way  of  righteousness  the  believer  is  per- 
fectly safe  from  any  harm.  The  redeemed  of  God,  his  own  purchased 
people  (Ex.  vi,  6 ;  Hos.  xiii,  14),  shall  walk  therein  safe,  alone  with 
their  Lord. 


SAFE   AT   HOME.  101 


IV.— SAFE   AT  HOME. 

What  a  picture  is  here  presented  to  the  poor  outcasts  of  Israel ! 
There  had  been  a  dispersion  and  a  home-coming  from  Babylon. 
There  was  to  be  yet  another  far  wider  and  more  prolonged  disper- 
sion, and  then  at  last  a  final  home-coming.  In  view  of  this  the 
prophet  bursts  out  with  a  triumphant  exclamation  of  victory,  in 
which  he  sets  all  the  redeemed  singing  for  joy.  He  sees  the  wander- 
ers and  outcasts  gathering  from  every  quarter  of  the  earth.  (Ch.  xi, 
12;  li,  3.)  They  come  with  songs  of  everlasting  joy  on  their  lips, 
bursting  from  their  glad  and  happy  hearts.  Coming  they  are 
anointed  with  the  spirit  of  praise  and  joy,  for  everlasting  joy  shall 
be  on  their  heads ;  and  so  proceeding  on  their  way,  they  obtain  new 
gladness  and  rejoicing,  and  the  last  vestige  of  sorrow  and  sighing 
flee  away.  It  has  been  a  long  night  to  them,  but  joy  has  at  last 
come  with  this  thrice-blessed  morning.  Is  not  this  a  blessed  pict- 
xu'e,  too,  of  the  triumphant  entrance  into  the  presence  of  God  of 
those  who  have  fought  a  good  fight,  kept  the  faith,  and  finished  their 
course  ?  And  when  Jesus  shall  come  to  call  his  sleeping  ones  from 
the  grave  and  catch  up  his  living  and  believing  saints  to  meet  him 
in  the  air,  " Death  will  be  swallowed  up  in  Victory;  and  the  Lord 
God  will  wipe  away  tears  from  all  faces ;  and  the  rebuke  of  his  peo- 
ple shall  he  take  away  from  off  all  the  earth :  for  the  Lord  hath 
spoken  it."  So  declared  this  same  prophet  in  another  place,  (xxv, 
8.)  And  this  also  agrees  with  what  John  saw  on  the  Isle  of  Patmos, 
when  he  was  in  the  Spirit  on  that  wondrous  Lord's  day :  "And  God 
shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes  :  and  there  shall  be  no  more 
death,  neither  sorrow  nor  crying :  neither  shall  there  be  any  more 
pain;  for  the  former  things  are  passed  away."  " Even  so,  Come, 
Lord  Jesus."  (Rev.  xxi,  4;  xxii,  20.)  Then  will  the  Jew  and  the 
Christian  have  fulfilled  to  them  the  last  of  the  exceeding  great  and 
precious  promises  of  their  God. 


April  3.  1893. 


XIV. 

THE    WAY    OF    THE    RIGHTEOUS.— Psalm    i,    1-6. 

(1)  Blessed  is  the  man  that  walketh  not  in  the  counsel  of  the  ungodly,  nor 
standeth  in  the  way  of  sinners,  nor  sitteth  in  the  seat  of  the  scornful.  (2)  But  his 
delight  is  in  the  law  of  the  Lord  ;  and  in  his  law  doth  he  meditate  day  and  night. 
(3)  And  he  shall  he  like  a  tree  planted  by  the  rivers  of  water,  that  bringeth 
forth  his  fruit  in  his  season  ;  his  leaf  also  shall  not  wither ;  and  whatsoever  he  doeth 
shall  prosper.  (4)  The  ungodly  are  not  so :  but  are  like  the  chaff  which  the  wind 
driveth  away.  (5)  Therefore  the  ungodly  shall  not  stand  in  the  judgment,  nor  sin- 
ners in  the  congregation  of  the  righteous.  (G)  For  the  Lord  knoweth  the  way  of  the 
righteous  :  but  the  way  of  the  ungodly  shall  perish.— Psalm  i,  1-6. 

The  authorship  of  this  psalm  is  unknown.  It  is  almost  certain 
that  it  is  not  David's  ;  it  may  be  Solomon's.  It  was  most  likely  writ- 
ten in  the  earlier  period  of  the  theocratic  kingdom,  while  as  yet  the 
law  of  God  was  still  venerated,  though  there  were  those  in  the  na- 
tion that  were  giving  strong  evidence  of  the  beginning  of  that  apos- 
tasy of  life  and  faith  which  culminated  in  the  complete  overthrow  of 
the  people  of  God  in  the  days  of  the  captivity.  It  was  probably 
selected  by  the  compiler  of  the  psalms  for  its  place  as  first  in  the 
book  because  it  puts  in  concise  and  yet  comprehensive  terms  the 
general  principles  of  the  Jewish  theocracy:  "That  a  righteous  life 
will  be  attended  with  prosperity  and  happiness  ;  and  that  the  life  of 
the  wicked  will  be  followed  by  sorrow  and  ruin."  The  psalm  divides 
itself  into  two  parts,  the  first  having  to  do  with  the  righteous  man 
and  the  last  with  the  unrighteous  or  wicked  man.  It  is  not  the  ex- 
pression of  an  opinion,  but  the  announcement  of  a  law,  which  has 
been  thoroughly  verified  by  experience.  It  is  one  of  those  truths, 
stated  so  often  in  the  Bible,  that  can  be  verified  in  all  ages  and 
under  all  conditions  of  society.  It  is  as  true  to-day  as  it  was  in  the 
days  of  Solomon,  and  it  always  will  be  true.  Let  any  man  contra- 
dict it  if  he  will.  What  ungodly  man,  what  sinner,  what  scorner 
will  rise  up  and  solemnly  affirm  that  blessedness  is  his  portion  in 
this  world,  that  he  is  full  and  satisfied  in  every  part  and  on  all  sides 
of  his  nature ;  that  spirit,  soul,  and  body  are  in  harmonious  accord 
with  each  other,  with  God,  and  with  the  world ;  that  he  has  found 
the  secret  of  peace  and  blessedness  in  the  denial  of  God,  in  the  prac- 

102 


THE   RIGHTEOUS   MAN.  103 

tico  of  life  after  the  desires  of  his  own  heart,  and  in  scoffing  at  all 
religion.  Such  a  man  does  not  live  ;  and  if  such  an  one  should  rise 
up  to  affirm  that  blessedness  is  found  in  ungodliness,  the  whole  world 
would  instantly  confront  him  with  denial.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
man  who  shuns  ungodliness,  transgression,  and  flippant  unbelief 
(scorning),  who  delights  himself  in  the  law  of  the  Lord  and  medi- 
tates in  its  holy  precepts  constantly,  is  a  man  of  happiness.  Ho 
may  not  be  rich,  he  may  not  be  great,  he  may  not  be  a  genius ;  on 
the  other  hand,  he  may  be  poor,  obscure,  and  a  man  of  no  extra- 
ordinary gifts ;  nay  more,  he  may  be  afflicted,  he  may  be  unfortu- 
nate, he  may  be  a  sufferer  for  righteousness'  sake  ;  yet  will  he  protest 
to  you  and  testify  to  the  whole  world  that  he  is  a  blessed  man ;  and 
there  will  be  none  to  deny  it.  Nothing  is  more  infallible  than  the 
law  laid  down  in  this  psalm ;  nothing  is  more  easily  proved.  If  there 
be  any  to  doubt  its  truth,  they  have  but  to  inquire  of  the  two  men 
described  in  the  psalm ; — or  of  themselves.  If  the  inquirer  is  a  god- 
less man,  a  transgressor,  and  a  scorner,  he  has  but  to  turn  into  the 
path  of  righteousness  to  prove  the  truth  of  the  psalm,  not  by  the 
testimony  of  others,  but  by  his  own  experience.  Like  many  others 
of  these  wonderful  psalms,  this  one  is  so  complete,  so  simple,  so  self- 
evident,  that  one  hesitates  an  exposition  for  fear  of  marring  its  sim- 
plicity, and  even  obscuring  by  words  its  transparent  teaching. 

I.— THE  RIGHTEOUS   MAN. 

There  is  a  strong  element  of  individuality  in  this  and  in  other 
psalms.  There  was  at  the  time  of  the  writing  of  this  psalm,  as 
always  among  the  Jews,  a  remarkable  national  life,  but  at  the  same 
time  the  fact  of  individual  life  and  personal  responsibility  was 
always  strongly  emphasized.  There  was  happiness  or  blessedness 
in  a  national  sense,  as  when  the  great  Law-giver  spoke  his  parting 
words  to  Israel :  "  The  eternal  God  is  thy  refuge,  and  underneath 
are  the  everlasting  arms ;  and  he  shall  thrust  out  the  enemy  from 
before  thee  ;  and  shall  say,  Destroy  them.  Israel  then  shall  dwell  in 
safety  alone ;  the  fountain  of  Jacob  shall  be  upon  a  land  of  corn  and 
wine ;  and  the  heavens  shall  drop  down  dew.  Happy  art  thou,  O 
Israel :  who  is  like  unto  thee,  O  people  saved  by  the  Lord,  the  shield 
of  thy  help,  and  who  is  the  sword  of  thy  excellency.  And  thine 
enemies  shall  be  found  liars  unto  thee,  and  thou  shalt  tread  on  their 
high  places "  (Deut.  xxxiii,  27-29) ;  or  as  when  the  psalmist  de- 
clared :  "Happy  is  that  people  that  is  in  such  a  case ;  yea,  happy  is 
that  people  whose  God  is  the  Lord."     (Ps.  cxliv,  15.)     But  a  nation 


104  THE   WAY  OF   THE   RIGHTEOUS. 

may  be  blessed  as  a  whole  and  have  within  its  people  individuals 
who  have  rebelled  against  God  and  turned  atheistic ;  or  a  nation  as 
a  whole  may,  under  the  lead  of  wicked  and  godless  kings  and  rulers 
(as  did  Israel  and  Judah  in  later  times),  become  wholly  alienated 
from  God  and  given  over  to  unrighteousness,  yet  may  contain  within 
its  commonwealth  men  who  are  individually  righteous,  and  so 
blessed  in  themselves.  At  any  rate,  the  judgment  will  search  men 
out  individually,  and  their  standing  and  condition  in  eternity  will  be 
determined  by  their  individual  characters.  The  righteous  man  in 
this  psalm  is  described  both  negatively  and  positively. 

1. — Negative  righteousness. — A  man's  character  is  as  much  de- 
termined by  what  he  is  not  as  by  what  he  is  ;  by  his  repulsions  as  by 
his  affections.  One  of  the  marks  of  the  regenerate  man  is  that  he 
hates  the  things  he  once  loved  and  loves  the  things  he  once  hated. 
Show  me  the  way  wherein  a  man  walks  and  the  company  he  keeps, 
and  it  will  not  bo  difficult  to  know  with  fair  accuracy  what  is.  his 
true  character.  A  righteous  man  cannot,  will  not  (i)  "walk  in  the 
counsel  of  the  ungodly."  How  can  he?  What  counsel  or  teaching 
has  an  ungodly  man  to  give  to  a  righteous  man  ?  What  counsel  have 
the  ungodly  ever  given  to  this  world  except  that  which  has  led  to 
darkness  of  understanding,  corruption  of  heart,  and  final  ruin? 
Ungodly  and  unrighteous  men  are  they  that  hold  the  truth  back  from 
acting  upon  the  religious  nature  of  men ;  not  desiring  to  retain  God 
in  their  consciences,  they  give  themselves  up  to  vain  speculations ; 
esteeming  themselves  to  be  wise,  they  invariably  become  fools  ;  and 
are  given  up  to  the  final  wages  of  their  doings.  How  can  a  man 
keeping  the  company  and  walking  in  the  counsel  of  such  be  a  blessed 
man  ?  However  clever  an  ungodly  man  is,  his  every  advice  must  be 
disastrous  to  those  who  ta*ke  it.  Nor  can  he  (ii)  "  stand  in  the  way 
of  sinners."  An  ungodly  man  is  one  who  has  banished  God  from  his 
conscience,  and  has  become  atheistic  in  thought  and  life ;  on  the 
other  hand,  a  sinner  is, one  who  has  delibei^ately  given  himself  up,  in 
spite  of  conscience  and  conviction,  to  the  transgression  of  God's  law ; 
who  takes  delight  in  evil-doing.  The  ungodly  man  may  be  moral  in 
outward  things,  his  counsel  may  be  worse  and  more  dangerous  than 
his  example  ;  but  the  sinner  is  a  man  who  is  going  the  way  to  hell. 
If  one  stands  in  his  way,  he  will  be  in  danger  of  being  persuaded  or 
swept  along  by  the  tide  or  the  crowd  that  goes  in  the  same  way. 
That  was  wise  counsel  given  by  Solomon:  "My  son,  if  sinners  en- 
tice thee,  consent  thou  not."  (Prov.  i,  10.)  Paul  also  taught  the 
same  thing  when  he  warned  his  beloved  Ephesians  to  "have  no  fel- 
lowship) with  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness."     (Eph.  v,  11.)     The 


THE   RIGHTEOUS   MAN.  103 

sinner's  way  is  a  dirty  way,  a  way  that  leads  to  the  pit,  and  no  man 
who  is  truly  righteous  or  blessed  of  God  can  walk  therein.  If  a  man 
professing  righteousness  is  seen  in  that  way  you  may  be  sure  that, 
if  he  is  there  from  choice,  his  heart  is  not  right  with  God.  Much 
less  can  the  righteous  man  (iii)  "sit  in  the  seat  of  the  scornful." 
David  says,  in  the  twenty-sixth  psalm:  "I  have  not  sat  with  vain 
persons,  neither  will  I  go  with  dissemblers  :  I  have  hated  the  congre- 
gation of  evil-doers,  and  will  not  sit  with  the  wicked."  To  sit  with 
the  mockers  of  religion,  or  those  who  are  light  and  frivolous  in  re- 
spect of  these  deeper  things  of  the  soul,  is  to  take  part  with  them  in 
their  scorning,  and  to  vitiate  all  that  is  good  in  one  s  own  heart  and 
life.  It  is  one  of  the  conditions  upon  which  the  scornful  allow  us  to 
sit  with  them,  that  we  applaud  their  scorning  and  venture  not  to 
give  testimony  to  a  more  serious  way.  Scorners  are  always  intoler- 
ant of  serious  men.  In  this  look  at  the  negative  righteousness  of 
the  blessed  man,  we  have  a  very  striking  picture  of  the  progress  of 
sin  in  the  heart  of  the  unrighteous.  First  there  is  ungodliness, 
which  is  nothing  more  nor  less  than  atheism,  either  in  fact  or  in 
theory ;  then  follows  sinfulness,  which  is  the  natural  outcome  of  god- 
lessness,  for  if  there  be  no  God,  there  is  no  moral  distinction  be- 
tween right  and  wrong ;  then  comes  the  scorner's  way.  This  is  the 
natural  third  consecution  on  the  other  two  classifications  of  sin. 
Besides  this,  we  see  the  downward  progress  of  unbelief  or  un- 
righteousness. First  it  is  seen  walking,  then  standing,  and  finally 
sitting  down  with  sinners.  As  long  as  a  man  is  on  the  move,  there 
is  a  chance  of  his  turning ;  when  he  stands  in  the  way  of  sinners,  he 
must  have  been  so  far  enticed  as  to  stop  awhile  in  their  company ; 
but  if  he  is  found  sitting  down  with  infidels,  be  sure  he  has  given  in 
to  them  and  entered  into  full  communion  with  them. 

2. — Positive  righteousness. — It  is  not  enough  that  a  man  should 
abstain  from  the  counsel,  walk,  and  companionship  of  sinners ;  he 
must  take  on  a  positive  righteousness.  To  lay  aside  the  old  man, 
without  putting  on  the  new  man,  is  only  to  become  naked ;  to  cease 
getting  drunk  with  wine  without  being  filled  with  the  Spirit,  is  only 
to  be  consumed  with  a  burning  thirst  which  will  drive  back  to  the 
old  habits.  On  this  principle,  the  righteous  man,  turning  from  the 
counsel,  way,  and  companionship  of  the  ungodly,  sinful,  and  scorn- 
ful, seeks  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  gives  himself  up  to  meditation 
on  its  contents  day  and  night.  The  truest  test  of  righteousness  is 
found  in  love  of  God's  law.  I  do  not  mean  mere  Bible  reading,  but 
real  companionship  with  the  word  of  God.  The  law  of  the  Lord 
is  the  place  where,  more  than  in  any  other,  the  soul  meets  God. 


ICG  THE   WAY   OF   THE   RIGHTEOUS. 

Out  of  his  law  God  speaks  to  the  soul ;  here  he  has  laid  up  his  exceed- 
ing great  and  precious  promises;  here  we  find  " doctrine,  reproof, 
correction,  and  instruction  in  righteousness."  (II.  Tim.  iii,  16.) 
Here  we  find  all  the  magnificent  unfoldings  of  God's  purpose  of  grace  ; 
here  we  come  to  know  the  truth  concerning  God,  the  world,  and 
ourselves ;  here  we  have  the  unseen  world  set  "before  our  eyes,  in 
such  wise  that  we  may  gaze  upon  and  become  familiar  with  it.  In 
this  word  we  have  a  cleansing  as  well  as  a  regenerating  power ;  hero 
are  words  of  comfort  and  inspiration,  such  as  can  be  found  nowhere 
else.  No  wonder  the  psalmist  prays  :  "  Open  thou  mine  eyes  that  I 
may  behold  wondrous  things  out  of  thy  law."  (Ps.  cxix,  18.)  There 
are  many  who  read  the  Bible  more  or  less  regularly,  who  yet  tell  us 
that  "it  is  a  dull  book,  and  they  only  read  it  from  a  sense  of  duty" ; 
that  they  cannot  get  interested  in  it,  etc.  But  the  righteous  man  is 
he  who  "  delights  himself  in  it."  No  man  can  delight  himself  in  the 
law  of  God  who  does  not  "do "it.  The  moment  we  begin  to  do 
God's  law  we  find  God.  "If  any  man  willeth  to  do  the  will  of  God, 
he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine  whether  it  be  of  God."  (John  vii,  17.) 
But  he  does  more  than  delight  himself  in  the  law  of  God.  He  medi- 
tates on  it  day  and  night.  To  meditate  is  to  ruminate  or,  as  we 
would  say,  to  chew  it  again  as  a  cow  chews  her  cud.  Many  persons 
read  the  Bible  as  they  look  into  a  glass,  and  then  go  away  and 
straightway  forget  what  manner  of  persons  they  are.  To  read  the 
Bible  and  not  to  turn  it  over  and  over  again  in  thought  and  in  action 
is  to  get  no  delight  or  strength  out  of  it.  Thus  meditating  on  God's 
law,  it  becomes  sweet  to  the  taste  as  honey  is  in  the  mouth.  More- 
over, when  the  word  thus  becomes  sweet  it  yields  understanding, 
wisdom,  power,  and  hatred  for  every  evil  thing.  (Ps.  cxix,  97-104, 
and  whole  psalm.)  Some  people  possess  Bibles  and  never  see  inside 
their  covers  ;  some  never  see  much  more  than  the  printed  page  ;  some 
find  their  favorite  doctrine  or  texts  to  support  their  hobbies  and 
fads,  or  to  justify  their  sins  or  unbelief;  but  the  righteous  man 
searches  it  for  the  knowledge  of  God  and  God's  will,  and  deals  with 
it  as  with  a  lamp  and  a  light ;  then  the  word  entering  into  the  heart 
gives  light  and  life.  The  righteous  man  and  the  Bible  are  insepa- 
rable. 

3. — The  fruit  of  righteousness. — The  righteous  man  becomes 
one  of  the  trees  of  the  Lord.  He  is  planted  by  the  river  of  waters. 
The  Bible  is  a  soil  near  to  the  streams  of  the  Spirit.  It  is  a  spirit- 
written  book,  and  the  man  that  lives  in  it  is  planted  near  the  water- 
course of  life.  He  gets  rooted  and  grounded  in  faith  and  love.  He 
never  knows  a  drought,  because  his  roots  draw  their  nourishment 


THE   UNGODLY.  ]07 

from  a  river  and  are  not  dependent  on  the  passing  rains.  His  roots 
have  struck  deep,  and  so  he  stands  unscathed  while  the  storms  pass 
over  him.  He  may  he  seen  swaying  and  bending  underneath  trials 
and  tempests  of  doubt  and  temptation,  but  he  is  not  permanently 
moved;  for  the  Holy  Spirit  is  not  only  the  source  of  life,  but  of 
power  also.  If  we  are  to  understand  by  the  river  of  water  the  word 
itself,  spirit-inspired,  then  we  see  also  how  it  is  that  with  the  word 
in  mind  and  heart  he  is  always  prepared,  as  was  our  Lord,  to  meet 
the  devil  at  all  points  with  the  omnipotent :  "  It  is  written."  Blessed 
is  such  a  man.  His  leaf  also  shall  not  wither.  The  scorching  suns 
of  criticism  and  the  blasting  winds  of  doubt  do  not  efface  the  sweet 
and  perennial  greenness  of  his  life.  This  man  is  rejoicing  in  the 
Lord  always.  But  then  he  is  more  than  a  leafy  tree  ;  he  shall  bring 
forth  fruit  in  his  season.  As  occasion  demands,  he  blossoms  forth 
with  "love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith, 
meekness,  temperance."  None  approach  him  in  vain.  There  is 
always  fruit  on  his  boughs.  He  is  one  of  those  trees  that  are  fruitful 
not  only  in  season,  but  out  of  season,  for  his  season  is  always.  Still 
more,  he  has  this  reward:  "Whatsoever  he  doeth  shall  prosper.'' 
This  whole  description  reminds  us  strongly  of  what  the  Lord  said  to 
Joshua  :  "  This  book  of  the  law  shall  not  depart  out  of  thy  mouth  ; 
but  thou  shalt  meditate  therein  day  and  night,  that  thou  mayest  ob- 
serve to  do  all  that  is  written  therein ;  for  then  thou  shalt  make  thy 
way  prosperous,  and  then  thou  shalt  have  good  success  ;  for  the  Lord 
thy  God  is  with  thee  withersoever  thou  goest."  (Josh,  i,  8,  9 ;  Ps. 
xcii,  12;  Jer.  xvii,  7,  8.)  Such  is  the  righteous  man.  His  back 
toward  sinners,  his  face  toward  God,  he  is  green  with  everlasting 
life,  full  of  fruit,  and  always  prosperous.  If  some  doubt  this  as  to 
material  things,  he  yet  declares  that,  "having  nothing,  he  possesses 
all  things  "  ;  and  though  he  may  be  poor,  yet  he  is  able  to  make  many 
rich.  The  prosperity  of  the  righteous  is  often  in  those  things  which 
with  the  wicked  would  only  be  calamities.  This  is  one  of  his  great- 
est advantages ;  he  knows  how  to  extract  blessings  out  of  afflictions, 
get  riches  out  of  poverty,  and  joy  out  of  suffering ;  for  his  life  con- 
sisteth  not  alone  of  the  things  which  he  possesses.  He  has  meat  to 
eat  that  the  world  knows  not  of ;  he  has  treasure  and  wealth  not  to 
be  digged  out  of  the  earthly  soil. 

II— THE   UNGODLY. 

Here  is  a  background  against  which  the  blessed  man  is  shown  off. 
The  ungodly  are  not  so.     Not  so  in  character,  or  companionship ; 


108  THE   WAY   OF   THE   RIGHTEOUS. 

not  so  in  fruitfulness  or  "blessedness.  Theirs  is  a  different  way.  Let 
us  look  at  it. 

1. — They  are  like  chaff. — At  a  distance  a  heap  of  chaff  and  a 
heap  of  wheat  could  hardly  be  distinguished.  One  cannot  always  at 
a  glance  distinguish  between  the  godly  and  the  ungodly ;  but  there 
is  always  sure  to  come  a  time  of  revelation  and  testing.  Chaff  is 
light,  and  cannot  withstand  the  wind  which  catches  it  up  and  blows 
it  away.  Who  can  find  it  when  it  is  blown  away?  who  will  claim  it? 
who  will  want  it?  what  use  is  the  chaff?  The  prosperity  of  the 
wicked,  which  is  evidently  the  thought  in  the  mind  of  the  psalmist, 
has  ever  been  a  subject  of  comment  and  perplexity  to  the  righteous, 
and  not  unfrequently  to  the  on-looking  world.  The  wicked  are  often 
in  great  apparent  prosperity,  flourishing  like  green  bay  trees  ;  their 
lives  seem  devoid  of  trouble ;  everything  they  touch  is  turned  into 
gold ;  they  seem  to  be  the  very  favorites  of  heaven  as  well  as  of 
earth,  while  the  righteous  seem  to  be  forsaken.  But  is  it  so?  Wait 
till  the  wind  rises  and  then  see.  The  tree  that  is  rooted  in  mere 
earthly  prosperity  is  laid  low  at  the  first  blast  of  the  judgment's 
tempest.  The  green  leaves  wither  and  the  fruit  of  pleasure  turns 
to  ashes  in  the  mouth  of  the  man  who  seeks  to  gather  it.  Look  at 
Dives  and  Lazarus.  See  them  on  earth.  Which  is  the  prosperous 
man — the  one  who  had  the  fear  of  God  in  his  heart,  though  his  body 
was  covered  with  sores  and  his  stomach  famishing  with  hunger ;  or 
the  one  who  was  clothed  in  purple  and  fine  linen  and  fared  sumptu- 
ously every  day?  Look  at  them  in  the  other  world.  Who  is  the 
prosperous  man — the  one  tormented  in  hell ;  or  the  other  in  Abra- 
ham's bosom?  Look  at  the  fair  and  beautiful  house  built  on  the 
sand  in  the  rich  valley  of  pleasure.  Now  look  again.  Is  it  not 
swept  away  by  the  storm  of  wind,  rain,  and  flood? — not  a  vestige  of 
it  is  left.  See  the  fair  and  fruitless  fig-tree.  It  is  cut  down  as  cum- 
bering the  ground.  God  takes  account  of  the  prosperity  of  the 
wicked  and  marks  every  one  for  future  destruction,  even  as  he  holds 
them  in  contempt  now.  Be  not  envious  of  the  ungodly.  Eead  the 
thirty-seventh  psalm  whenever  you  are  inclined  to  doubt  the  truth 
of  this  first ;  read  it  when  you  are  puzzled  or  troubled  at  the  prosper- 
ity of  the  wicked. 

2. — They  shall  not  stand  in  the  judgment. — Nothing  stands  in 
the  judgment  but  character,  character  founded  on  the  truth  and 
righteousness  of  God.  Gold  and  silver,  fame  and  position ;  clever- 
ness, genius,  science's  lore,  will  avail  nothing  without  character.  As 
the  chaff  cannot  stand  before  the  wind,  but  is  blown  away  and 
gathered  not  again,  because  it  is  light  and  has  no  worth  in  itself,  so 


THE   UNGODLY.  109 

shall  the  wicked  be  driven  away  in  his  wickedness  and  the  unright- 
eous man  in  his  lightness.  No  covenant  which  he  can  make  with 
wealth,  with  the  world,  with  the  flesh,  with  the  devil ;  with  the  kings 
and  princes  of  the  world ;  with  the  wit,  wisdom,  and  learning  of 
earth,  will  avail  him  when  the  day  of  judgment  comes.  Though  sin- 
ners thrust  themselves  even  into  the  congregation  of  the  righteous, 
the  judgment  wind,  the  fan  that  is  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  will 
thoroughly  purge  his  floor  of  all  chaff.  (Matt,  iii,  12. )  On  the  other 
hand,  not  one  grain  of  his  wheat  shall  fail  of  entering  his  garner. 
The  Lord  knoweth  the  way  of  the  righteous  ;  he  is  in  harmony  with 
it ;  his  eye  is  upon  the  righteous  and  his  ear  is  open  to  his  prayer ; 
but  the  way  of  the  ungodly  shall  perish.  It  ought  not  to  take  a  wise 
man  or  woman  long  to  decide  between  the  true  prosperity  of  the 
righteous  and  the  sham  prosperity  of  the  wicked.  It  ought  not  to 
take  a  wise  man  or  woman  long,  therefore,  to  decide  which  of  these 
two  ways  he  will  take.  There  is  no  doubt  of  the  truth  of  the  law 
laid  down  here  as  to  the  course  and  destiny  of  men  according  to 
character,  any  more  than  there  is  as  to  the  certainty  of  the  result 
upon  a  heap  of  wheat  and  a  pile  of  chaff  when  a  fierce  wind  blows 
over  both  together.  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear ;  and 
he  that  is  wise,  let  him  do  what  he  hears  :  so  shall  he  build  his  house 
upon  the  Rock  of  Ages. 


April  10,  1892. 


XV. 

THE     KING     IN     ZION.— Psalm    ii,    1-12. 

(1)  Why  do  the  heathen  rage,  and  the  people  imngine  a  vain  thing  ?  (2)  The 
kings  of  the  earth  set  themselves,  and  the  rulers  take  counsel  together,  against  the 
Lord,  and  against  his  Anointed,  saying,  (3)  Let  ub  break  their  bands  asunder,  and 
cast  away  their  cords  from  us.  (4)  He  that  sitteth  in  the  heavens  shall  laugh :  the 
Lord  shall  have  them  in  derision.  (5)  Then  shall  he  speak  unto  them  in  his  wrath, 
and  vex  them  in  his  sore  displeasure.  (6)  Yet  have  I  set  my  King  upon  my  holy  hill 
of  Zion.  (7)  I  will  declare  the  decree  :  the  Lord  hath  said  unto  me,  Thou  art  my 
Son  ;  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee.  (8)  Ask  of  me,  and  I  shall  give  thee  the 
heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  possession. 
(9)  Thou  shalt  break  them  with  a  rod  of  iron;  thou  shalt  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a 
potter's  vessel.  (10)  Be  wise  now  therefore,  O  ye  kings  :  be  instructed,  ye  judges 
of  the  earth.  (11)  Serve  the  Lord  with  fear,  and  rejoice  with  trembling.  (12) 
Kiss  the  Son,  lest  he  be  angry,  and  ye  perish  from  the  way,  when  his  wrath  is 
kindled  but  a  little.    Blessed  are  all  they  that  put  their  trust  in  him.— Psalm  ii,  1-12. 

The  authorship  of  this  famous  psalm,  like  that  of  the  first,  is  un- 
known. It  has  by  different  scholars  been  ascribed  to  David,  Solo- 
mon, Isaiah,  Ezekiel,  and  Daniel.  Again  we  remark  that  the  human 
author  of  any  portion  of  the  Scripture  is  comparatively  unimportant ; 
only  the  fact  that  it  is  an  inspired  utterance  of  Jehovah  is  that  which 
makes  it  precious  to  us.  Of  its  Divine  origin  there  is  absolutely  no 
doubt.  Nor  is  its  significance  any  doubtful  question.  That  it  is 
highly  and  almost  purely  Messianic  is  written  over  the  whole  face  of 
the  psalm  itself.  The  frequent  allusions  and  direct  appeals  to  this 
psalm  by  New  Testament  writers  leave  us  in  no  doubt  as  to  the  fact 
that  it  is  a  prophecy  of  the  enthronement  of  Christ  (the  Anointed 
One)  and  the  triumph  of  the  kingdom  of  God  under  his  reign  over 
all  the  earth.  We  shall  have  occasion  to  refer  to  several  of  the  more 
important  instances  in  which  this  psalm  is  so  used  by  the  writers  of 
the  New  Testament.  The  faith  of  the  Christian  is  greatly  strength- 
ened by  a  careful  study  of  such  Scriptures  as  these,  whereof  certain 
portions  are  clearly  and  manifestly  fulfilled  in  Jesus  Christ,  while 
others  yet  await  fulfillment.  As  to  the  latter,  we  can  take  our  stand 
on  the  former  and  look  forward  with  confidence  to  a  final  and  com- 

110 


THE  REBELLION  OF  THE  EARTH.        Ill 

plete  vindication  of  their  truth.  Having  seen  Jesus,  tho  Anointed 
of  Jehovah,  highly  exalted  (Acts  v,  31),  notwithstanding  the  machi- 
nations of  the  people  and  the  rulers,  we  can  confidently  wait  till  tho 
heathen  become  his  inheritance  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth 
his  possession.  It  is  a  great  mistake,  in  my  judgment,  to  allow  our- 
selves to  be  turned  away  from  the  argument  of  prophecy  in  support 
of  the  truth  of  revelation,  to  that  of  pure  and  abstract  reason,  as  to 
the  order  of  nature,  the  possibility  of  a  revelation,  and  the  super- 
natural interposition  of  God  in  the  affairs  of  men  for  their  salvation. 
Prophecy  and  its  fulfillment  are  demonstrations  of  the  truth  which 
men  seek  to  establish ;  where  lies  the  use  of  arguing  that  the  thing 
is  possible  and  probable,  when  the  fact  is  before  our  eyes?  As  to 
the  future  progress  of  the  Gospel  in  the  work  of  converting  the 
heathen,  and  the  success  of  Jesus  Christ  in  subduing  the  nations, 
there  can  be  no  doubt ;  the  decree  has  gone  forth  that  it  shall  bo 
done.  This  psalm  is  giving  me  at  least  great  boldness  in  preaching 
the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  among  the  heathen  at  this  time. 

I.— THE  REBELLION  OF  THE  EARTH. 

The  first  three  verses  of  this  psalm  give  us  a  picture  of  the  con- 
sensus of  the  various  earthly  forces  against  the  reign  of  the  Lord's 
Anointed.  The  heathen,  the  people,  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the 
rulers  are  all  agreed  in  opposition.  The  prophet  asks  a  question 
only  in  order  that  he  may  answer  it.  It  is  as  though  he  had  said  : 
To  what  purpose  is  this  rebellion?  It  is  a  vain  imagination  that 
leads  you  to  think  that  ye  can  prevail  against  the  Lord's  Anointed, 
or  hinder  the  success  of  the  decree  that  has  gone  forth  in  respect  of 
the  triumph  of  the  Gospel. 

1. — The  unbelieving  confederacy. — This  confederacy  is  com- 
posed of  the  heathen,  the  people,  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the 
rulers.  They  are  described  as  "raging";  as  "imagining  a  vain 
thing";  as  " setting  themselves  "  ;  as  "taking  counsel  together." 

(i)  The  heathen  rage  because  the  reign  of  the  Anointed  means  the 
destruction  of  their  heathenism  and  the  overthrow  of  their  gods. 
This  raging  consists  in  the  mad  and  infuriated  mutterings  of  an 
angry  multitude  before  the  outbreak  of  an  actual  rebellion.  A  few 
years  ago,  here  in  Calcutta,  there  was  a  remarkable  movement  of 
the  Spirit;  and  a  number  of  young  men,  high-cast  Brahmins  and 
others,  were  converted  to  Christ  and  boldly  confessed  him  in  Bap- 
tism. This  fact  so  incensed  the  Hindoo  leaders  that  there  were  sev- 
eral large  mass  meetings  held,  and  angry  and  excited  speeches  were 


112  THE  KING  IN  ZION. 

made,  in  which  they  raged  against  Christ  and  his  Gospel,  against 
the  missionaries  and  the  young  converts.  But  why  did  they  rage  ? 
to  what  end  ?  Did  they  reconvert  these  young  men  to  heathenism  ? 
did  they  suppress  the  Gospel  in  this  land?  have  they  silenced  and 
quenched  the  Spirit?  Certainly  not.  Have  the  heathen  ever  "been 
successful  in  hindering  the  final  triumph  of  the  Gospel  in  any  land 
where  it  has  been  faithfully  and  simply  preached?  Let  the  history 
of  the  conflict  of  Christ  with  heathenism  for  the  last  nineteen  cent- 
uries answer  the  question  and  demonstrate  the  vanity  of  the  imagi- 
nation, (ii)  The  people  imagine  a  vain  thing.  They  devise  a  foolish  and 
useless  scheme  for  the  subversion  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  destruction 
of  Christ.  This  is  seen  in  the  violence  of  the  populace  that  sur- 
rounded Christ  when  he  was  "before  Pilate,  shouting  out :  "  Crucify 
him;  crucify  him."  That  was  their  vain  scheme.  They,  it  is  true, 
were  instigated  to  that  course  "by  their  rulers ;  but  later,  when  the 
"lewd  fellows  of  the  "baser  sort"  assaulted  the  house  of  Jason  and 
sought  to  kill  the  apostles  (Acts  xvii,  5),  they  were  simply  acting  out 
the  instinct  of  human  enmity  against  God  and  his  Christ.  People — 
the  mass  of  people — who  are  self-centered,  who  live  in  their  own 
desires,  are  instinctively  opposed  to  God  and  Christ,  because  they 
know  that  by  the  Anointed  One  they  are  being  brought  into  judg- 
ment, and  they  suppose  they  can  by  violence  put  down  the  truth. 
Their  devices  are  impotent  as  their  passions  are  brutal,  (iii)  "  The 
kings  of  the  earth  set  themselves  and  the  rulers  take  counsel  together." 
The  best  illustration  of  this  is  that  cited  by  the  apostles  themselves 
in  their  prayer.  (Acts  iv,  25.)  "The  kings  of  the  earth  stood  up 
and  the  rulers  of  the  earth  were  gathered  together  against  the  Lord 
and  against  his  Christ."  Herod  and  Pontius  Pilate  and  the  rulers  of 
the  Jews,  who  had  previously  taken  counsel  together,  appealed  to 
the  temporal  power  of  Csesar,  which  they  fancied  was  imperiled  by 
the  appearance  of  this  Anointed  Man.  They  were  not  wrong  in  the 
last  induction.  Earthly  kings  and  rulers,  who  arrogate  to  them- 
selves power  and  right  which  belong  only  to  the  sovereignty  of  God, 
are  naturally  opposed  to  the  Anointed  of  the  Lord, — who  everywhere 
declares  that  not  might  but  right  shall  be  the  power  of  government, 
and  that  every  transgression  of  this  law  will  but  hasten  the  downfall 
of  the  human  power  which  they  arrogate  and  bring  them  into  judg- 
ment. The  enemies  of  the  Christ  of  God  are  of  many  minds  and 
many  classes  ;  they  may  be  at  bitter  strife  with  each  other,  yet  they 
are  united  in  their  opposition  to  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.  Herod  and 
Pilate  are  made  friends  over  this,  and  the  rulers  of  the  Jews  them- 
selves, who  hated  Csesar  with  a  perfect  hatred,  declared  themselves 


THE   REBELLION   OF   THE   EARTH.  113 

to  be  Caesar's  friends  if  that  were  necessary  to  the  crucifixion  of 
Jesus.  Although  without  the  limits  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  they 
feel  that  they  are  under  its  sovereignty  for  judgment;  and  they 
would  destroy  it. 

2.— The  object  of  their  hatred. — It  is  directed  against  the  Lord 
and  his  Anointed.  Now,  it  is  perfectly  manifest  that  these  combina- 
tions and  devices  are  never  organized  and  schemed  against  any  of 
the  gods  of  the  heathen.  Any  man  may  profess  himself  a  Theist  or 
a  Deist,  and  preach  these  doctrines  to  his  heart's  content,  and 
neither  the  heathen,  the  people,  the  kings  of  the  earth,  nor  the  rulers 
will  make  any  opposition.  So  long  as  God  is  left  in  heaven  and  is 
only  an  object  of  speculation  or  worship  in  the  abstract,  they  do  not 
mind ;  but  when  God  becomes  incarnate  on  earth  and  begins  to  call 
men  to  repentance  and  judgment,  then  the  earth  rises  up  against  him, 
because  he  brings  the  cords  and  bands  of  authority  to  bear  upon  them 
down  here,  and  that  interferes  with  their  lustful  plans.  Have  you 
ever  thought  how  wonderful  it  is  that  Jesus,  the  best  man  who  ever 
lived,  became  the  object  of  the  most  bitter  hate  the  world  has  ever 
known  ?  It  is  because  he  was  God  manifest  in  the  flesh,  who  came 
to  take  the  sovereignty  of  the  world  into  his  own  hand.  (John  v,  22- 
25. )  Have  you  observed  how  strange  it  is  that  the  very  men  who 
deny  utterly  the  supernatural  origin  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his  resur- 
rection are  the  most  bitter  against  him?  Why  should  they  be  bitter 
against  either  a  deliberate  impostor  or  a  self-deceived  religious 
fanatic,  who  has  been  dead  two  thousand  years?  Because,  though 
he  was  dead,  he  is  alive  again.  Deny  it  as  they  may,  they  fear  his 
power  and  dread  the  possibility  of  his  sovereign  judgment. 

3. — Their  plan. — "Let  us  break  their  bands  asunder  and  east 
their  cords  from  us."  The  bands  of  Jehovah  are  of  two  kinds. 
First,  they  are  bands  and  cords  of  authority  and  power,  such  as 
those  with  which  Pharaoh  once  bound  Israel,  until  God  brake  them 
and  set  his  people  free.  (Jer.  ii,  20;  Lev.  xxvi,  13.)  Second,  they 
are  cords  of  a  man  and  bands  of  love."  (Hos.  xi,  4.)  These  latter 
are  not  for  bondage  and  oppression,  as  were  those  of  Pharaoh,  but 
for  salvation.  These  cords  and  bands  break  the  yoke  of  sin  and  set 
the  oppressed  free.  Now,  it  is  madness  for  the  sinner  to  suppose 
that,  by  raging  against  God  and  Christ,  he  can  break  the  bands  and 
cords  by  which  he  is  bound  to  the  supreme  moral  government  and 
made  subject  to  judgment.  On  the  other  hand,  what  folly  for  sin- 
ners, who  are  hopelessly  doomed  to  judgment  and  death,  to  reject 
and  resist  the  gracious  effort  of  Jehovah  to  cast  the  cords  of  the  God- 
Man  about  them  and  the  bands  of  everlasting  love  round  their  souls. 


114  THE   KING  IN   ZION. 

Whilst  tliey  cannot  succeed  in  resisting  the  Almighty  who  will  bring 
men  to  Judgment,  they  can  resist  the  Jehovah  of  love  who  would 
save  them  from  sin. 

II.— HE   THAT   SITTETH  IN  THE  HEAVENS. 

Whilst  the  heathen  are  raging  and  the  people  imagining  a  vain 
thing,  the  kings  of  the  earth  sitting  and  the  rulers  taking  counsel 
together,  Jehovah  is  sitting  in  heaven  looking  down  upon  them  and 
laughing;  as  he  sees  them  laboriously  perfecting  their  plans  to 
frustrate  the  sovereignty  of  Messiah,  and  lashing  themselves  into  a 
fury  of  hatred,  he  holds  them  in  derision.  Laughter  in  this  sense  is 
the  expression  of  quiet  and  confident  strength,  as  against  a  vain  and 
foolish  opposition.  To  see  men  opposing  themselves  to  him  causes 
Jehovah  to  laugh, — to  smile,  as  it  were ;  then,  as  he  looks  further 
and  notes  their  defiance  and  the  magnitude  of  their  disjointed  com- 
bination, his  laughing  confidence  changes  into  a  scornful  derision, 
as  though  he  had  exposed  their  folly  and  helplessness,  had  already 
defeated  their  plans,  and  held  them  up  to  contempt  before  the  uni- 
verse. "With  the  rage  and  exertion  of  his  enemies  the  poet  sets  in 
beautiful  contrast  the  laughing  quiet  of  his  God,  who  can  with  one 
word  bring  these  proceedings  to  naught."  After  this  God  "speaks 
unto  them  in  his  wrath  and  vexes  them  in  his  sore  displeasure." 
The  rebellion  of  the  enemies  is  not  only  impotent  and  ridiculous  as 
against  Jehovah  and  his  Anointed ;  it  is  wicked  too,  and  having 
shown  its  folly  and  absurdity,  God  proceeds  to  pronounce  his  judg- 
ment upon  its  wickedness,  and  to  follow  up  his  condemnation  with 
the  vexation  of  his  wrath.  Perhaps  the  speaking  here  may  refer  to 
remonstrance  as  well  as  warning.  If  remonstrance  and  warning  are 
disregarded,  then  comes  the  rod  of  his  anger.  God's  arm  is  strong 
to  save  ;  but  it  is  as  terrible  to  punish.  Sin,  and  especially  rebellion 
against  the  Anointed,  vexes  God,  and  arouses  the  indignation  of  his 
righteous  wrath ;  and  when  that  is  awakened,  though  he  is  slow  to 
anger  and  plenteous  in  mercy,  the  visitation  on  the  rebels  must  be 
terrible.  Let  even  his  dealings  with  his  own  people,  according  to 
what  we  have  seen  in  some  former  studies,  testify  to  the  vexation 
and  sore  displeasure  of  God.  But  more  particularly  let  the  student 
read  the  account  of  the  wrath  of  God  poured  out  on  incorrigible  sin- 
ners and  rebellious  nations,  as  written  in  the  book  of  Revelation ; 
there  will  be  seen  the  end  of  God's  wrath.  "The  wicked  shall  be 
turned  into  hell,  and  the  nations  that  forget  God."  The  twenty-fifth 
chapter  of  Matthew  also  gives  us  a  glimpse  of  the  judgment  of  God 


THE   ENTHRONEMENT    OF   CHRIST.  115 

upon  the  nations,  with  the  mercy  to  individuals  who  have  for  Christ's 
sake  been  good  and  kind  to  those  who  were  his  disciples. 

HI.— THE    ENTHRONEMENT  OF   CHRIST. 

After  exposing  the  folly  of  the  enemy  and  setting  forth  what  he 
will  do  with  these  rebels,  he  proceeds  to  depict  the  uselessness  of  all 
their  combinations  to  prevent  the  reign  of  the  Anointed.  "Who 
hath  resisted  his  will  ? "  His  will  is  that  Christ  shall  be  enthroned 
and  rule  over  this  world. 

1. — "Yet  have  I  set  my  king  upon  my  holy  bill." — What  God 
has  determined  to  do  he  counts  as  already  accomplished.  If  we 
purpose  anything  for  the  future,  we  say  "if  possible"  or  "if  God 
wills,"  but  there  is  nothing  which  God  cannot  do,  for  "all  things  are 
possible  with  God,"  and  there  is  no  other  will  in  the  universe  which 
can  prevent  him  from  carrying  out  his  purpose.  How  vain  for  men 
to  combine  to  defeat  the  will  of  God  concerning  Christ  and  his  king- 
dom !  Notwithstanding  all  he  answers,  "Yet  have  I  done  it."  "It 
does  not  yet  appear  " ;  but  it  is  done  in  the  purpose  of  God,  and  will 
be  accomplished  in  time,  spite  of  all  the  powers  in  earth  and  hell. 
Following  the  line  of  prophecy  and  history,  we  see  that,  when  the 
time  was  filled  up,  God  did  send  his  Son  into  the  world ;  and  in  spite 
of  the  efforts  of  Herod  to  kill  the  young  child  and  defeat  God's  pur- 
pose, God  saved  him  and  sent  him  forth  on  his  heavenly  ministry  of 
humiliation  and  suffering ;  the  Jews  slew  him  upon  the  tree,  and 
then  taunted  him  with  being  the  "  Son  of  God,"  and  said  :  "If  he  be 
the  king  of  Israel,  let  him  now  come  down  from  the  cross  and  we 
will  believe  him.  He  trusted  in  God ;  let  him  deliver  him  now,  if  he 
will  have  him;  for  he  said,  I  am  the  Son  of  God."  (Matt,  xxvii,  40- 
44.)  How  little  these  raging  heathen,  people,  kings,  and  rulers 
knew  of  God's  resources  !  They  had  forgotten  or  ignored  all  he  had 
said  to  them  of  his  resurrection.  "On  the  third  day  he  arose  from 
the  dead."  What  can  these  combinations  of  men  do  with  angels  who 
roll  away  the  stone,  what  with  the  resurrection  power  which  laughs 
at  death  and  hell,  which  bursts  asunder  the  bands  of  corruption, 
and  wrenches  the  gates  of  the  grave,  even  as  Samson  tore  from  their 
hinges  the  gates  of  Gaza.  How  God  must  have  laughed,  and  had 
them  in  derision,  when  he  thought  of  how  he  would  rescue  his  Son 
out  of  their  hands,  and  make  their  very  crime  the  instrument  for 
carrying  out  his  purpose.  (Acts  ii,  23;  iv,  27,  28.)  It  is  wonderful 
afterward  to  hear  Peter  preaching,  "  This  Jesus  hath  God  raised  up, 
whereof  we  all  are  witnesses.     Therefore  being  by  the  right  hand  of 


116  THE   KING  IN   ZION. 

God  exalted."  And  again  :  "  The  God  of  our  fathers  raised  up  Jesus, 
whom  ye  slew  and  hanged  on  a  tree.  Him  hath  God  exalted  with 
his  right  hand  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour. "  (Acts  ii,  33 ;  v,  30, 
31.)  Truly  it  is  vain  to  strive  against  God  and  his  Anointed.  And 
have  the  people,  the  heathen,  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  rulers 
met  with  any  better  success  in  opposing  the  progress  of  his  power 
and  kingdom  since  he  was  raised  from  the  dead?  If  they  have  slain 
one  Christian,  another  and  a  score  of  others  have  been  converted 
from  among  men  to  take  his  place.  Stephen  was  slain,  but  Saul  was 
converted,  and  by  him  the  whole  of  western  Asia  was  evangelized. 
Truly  that  was  a  significant  word:  "Yet  have  I  set  my  King  upon 
my  holy  hill  of  Zion." 

2. — The  decree. — "I  will  declare  the  decree."  This  is  the  say- 
ing of  the  Anointed,  preliminary  to  his  message  to  the  world.  God's 
purposes  are  not  impulses,  and  his  works  are  not  dictated  by  pass- 
ing circumstances.  He  has  made  a  decree,  and  he  works  all  his  pur- 
poses in  accordance  with  that  decree.  "The  determinate  counsel 
and  foreknowledge  of  God"  is  of  more  importance  to  us  than  the 
appearance  of  passing  events.  If  we  can  get  at  the  decree  of  God, 
then  we  may  rest  content  as  to  what  will  come  to  pass.  This  decree 
of  which  the  Anointed  One  now  speaks  contains  several  provisions, 
(i)  "Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  I  have  begotten  thee."  Here  is  the 
first  announcement  of  the  wonderful  relation  between  the  Christ  and 
the  Eternal  Father,  the  Great  God  and  Jehovah.  Jesus  is  the  eternal 
Son  of  God.  This  was  not  known.  Now  it  is  to  be  known  ;  and  on 
a  certain  day,  spoken  of  as  "this  day,"  the  fact  of  his  Sonship 
should  be  manifested  in  time  to  the  world.  When  the  time  drew 
near,  the  birth  of  the  Eternal  Son  was  announced  to  the  Virgin  Mary 
(Luke  i,  35) ;  when  he  appeared  on  the  banks  of  the  Jordan  God 
proclaimed  him  to  be  his  Son  :  "And  lo,  a  voice  from  heaven  saying, 
This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased."  (Matt,  iii,  17.) 
Again,  on  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration  :  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son, 
in  whom  I  am  well  pleased ;  hear  ye  him."  (Matt,  xvii,  5.)  So  much 
as  to  his  Sonship  in  birth  and  ministry.  The  apostle  alludes  to  this 
psalm  when  he  speaks  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  from  the  dead : 
"God  hath  fulfilled  the  same  (?'.  c,  the  promise  made  to  the  fathers) 
unto  us  their  children,  in  that  he  hath  raised  up  Jesus  again ;  as  it 
is  also  written  in  the  second  psalm,  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  I 
have  begotten  thee."  (Acts  xiii,  33.)  This  Sonship  of  Jesus  is  con- 
firmed and  demonstrated  by  power,  and  the  fact  of  his  resurrection 
from  the  dead  is  appealed  to  as  settling  the  question.  (Rom.  i,  4.) 
His  supremacy  above  all  angelic  power  is  another  testimony  to  the 


THE   ENTHRONEMENT   OF   CHRIST.  117 

truth  of  the  decree  of  revelation:  "For  unto  which  of  the  angels 
said  he  at  any  time,  Thou  art  my  Son ;  this  day  have  I  begotten 
thee?"  (Heb.  i,  5.)  Let  all  people,  therefore,  know  assuredly  that 
Jesus  is  both  Lord  and  Christ.  (Acts  ii,  36.)  (ii)  The  universal 
possession,  "Ask  of  me  and  I  will  give  thee  the  heathen  for  thine 
inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  posses- 
sion." This  is  a  part  of  the  decree  also.  Jesus,  as  the  great  and 
prime  favorite,  is  challenged  to  ask  a  favor  of  God.  Earthly  kings 
were  wont  to  promise  the  half  of  their  kingdom  to  their  favorites, 
but  God  outstrips  them  in  his  bounty  to  his  only  begotten  Son, 
whom  he  has  set  on  his  holy  hill  as  King  in  Zion,  and  says  he  will 
give  him  universal  sovereignty  over  all  the  heathen  and  the  uttermost 
parts  of  the  earth  for  a  possession.  We  are  to  understand  that  now 
"all  judgment  is  committed  into  the  hands  of  the  Son,"  and  all 
"men  must  honor  the  Son  even  as  they  honor  the  Father.  (John  v, 
22,  23. )  Therefore,  when  he  arose  from  the  dead,  he  gave  his  com- 
mission to  his  disciples  and  bade  them  go  and  preach  the  glad  tid- 
ings to  all  creatures,  and  to  make  disciples  of  all  nations,  assuring 
them  that  "all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  had  been  given  unto 
him."  (Matt,  xxviii,  18-20.)  (iii)  The  iise  he  shall  make  of  his  vast 
power.  "  Thou  shalt  break  them  with  a  rod  of  iron ;  thou  shalt  dash 
them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  vessel."  This  passage  must  be  under- 
stood, it  seems  to  me,  in  this  sense :  That  the  heathen,  the  people, 
the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  rulers,  who  conspired  against  the 
Lord  and  the  Anointed  One,  are  in  his  hand  for  final  disposition, 
that  they  are  as  helpless  as  a  potter's  vessel  is  before  a  strong  man, 
who  with  a  touch  of  his  finger  can  break  it  or  dash  it  to  pieces  on 
the  ground.  How  will  he  use  this  vast  power?  Certainly  not  first 
for  destruction,  but  for  salvation  ;  then  if  men  are  still  rebellious  and 
will  not  have  him  to  rule  over  them  in  grace  and  love,  he  will  dash 
them  to  pieces  as  a  useless  potter's  vessel.  Of  what  use  in  earth,  of 
what  use  in  heaven  is  a  man  who  will  not  have  Christ  to  rule  over 
him,  and  who  persists  in  rebellion  against  the  Lord  and  his  anointed? 
There  is  yet  another  sense  in  which  I  am  always  glad  to  read  this 
passage  :  ' '  Thou  shalt  dash  the  heathen  systems  and  world-powers 
that  oppose  the  Gospel  in  pieces  as  a  potter's  vessel " ;  that  the  peo- 
ple, having  been  freed  from  the  tyranny  of  their  systems  and  powers, 
may  be  made  at  liberty  to  accept  Christ  personally  and  individually. 
So  will  Christ  at  his  coming  destroy  the  authority  of  the  heathen  na- 
tions and  world-powers,  and  give  the  rule  of  them  to  his  saints : 
'  'And  he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron  ;  as  a  vessel  of  a  potter 
shall  they  be  broken  to  shivers,  even  as  I  received  of  my  Father." 


118  THE   KING   IN   ZION. 

(Rev.  ii,  27.)  In  this  we  see  the  significance  of  the  turning  and  the 
overturning  of  the  nations,  (iv)  Final  exhortation.  The  first  is  to 
the  rulers  of  the  earth :  "Be  wise  now  therefore,  O  ye  kings,  be  in- 
structed, ye  judges  of  the  earth."  Know  that  your  power  is  only 
subordinate  ;  that  any  rebellion  on  your  part  against  Christ  is  folly, 
and  the  end  of  you  and  your  power  will  be  that  of  a  shivered  potter's 
vessel.  Rather  recognize  the  fact  of  the  Sovereignty  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  serve  him  with  fear ;  let  the  rejoicing  which  characterizes  kings 
be  with  trembling,  for  you  are  in  a  place  of  responsibility  and  priv- 
ilege, which  exposes  you  to  many  temptations  of  haughtiness  and 
tyranny.  The  second  exhortation  is  to  the  individual:  " Kiss  the 
Son,  lest  he  be  angry  with  you  and  ye  perish  from  the  way,  when 
his  anger  is  kindled  but  a  little."  To  kiss  the  Son  is  to  be  recon- 
ciled to  him.  To  fail  in  this,  to  be  found  out  of  the  way  of  truth 
and  holiness,  is  to  perish  even  by  a  very  little  anger  of  God.  The 
individual  is  not  as  strong  as  the  king ;  and  it  will  not  require  as 
much  anger  to  overwhelm  an  individual  as  to  overthrow  a  kingdom. 
The  last  word  is  a  benediction  upon  the  man  who,  heeding  the  de- 
cree and  the  words  of  grace  from  the  Enthroned  Christ,  yields  him 
his  heart  and  confidence.  "  Blessed  are  all  they  that  put  their  trust 
in  him." 


April  17,  1892. 


XVI. 

GOD'S   WORKS   AND   WORD— Psalm  xix,  1-14. 

(1)  The  heavens  declare  the<rlory  of  God;  and  the  firmament  sheweth  his  handy- 
work.  (2)  Day  unto  day  uttereth  speech,  and  night  unto  night  sheweth  knowledge. 
(•:)  There  is  no  speech  nor  language,  where  their  voice  is  not  heard.  (4)  Their  line  is 
gone  out  through  all  the  earth,  and  their  words  to  the  end  of  the  world.  In  them 
hath  he  set  a  tabernacle  for  the  sun,  (c)  Which  is  as  a  bridegroom  coming  out  of  hu 
chamber,  and  rejoiceth  as  a  strong  man  to  run  a  race.  (6)  His  going  forth  is  from 
the  end  of  the  heaven,  and  his  circuit  unto  the  ends  of  it :  and  there  is  nothing  hid 
from  the  heat  thereof.  (7)  The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  converting  the  soul  :  the 
testimony  of  the  Lord  is  sure,  making  wise  the  simple.  (6)  The  statutes  of  the  Lord 
are  right,  rejoicing  the  heart :  the  commandment  of  the  Lord  i6  pure,  enlightening 
the  eyes.  (! )  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  clean,  enduring  for  ever  :  the  judgments  of  the 
Lord  are  true  and  righteous  altogether.  (10)  More  to  be  desired  are  they  than  gold, 
yea,  than  much  fine  gold  :  sweeter  also  than  honey  and  the  honeycomb.  (11)  More- 
over by  them  is  thy  servant  warned  :  and  in  keeping  of  them  there  is  great  reward. 
(12)  Who  can  understand  his  errors  ?  cleanse  thou  me  from  secret  faults.  (13)  Keep 
back  thy  servant  also  from  presumptuous  sins;  let  them  not  have  dominion  over  me  : 
then  shall  I  be  upright,  and  I  shall  be  innocent  from  the  great  transgression.  (14) 
Let  the  words  of  my  month,  and  the  meditation  of  my  heart,  be  acceptable  in  thy 
sight,  O  Lord,  my  strength,  and  my  redeemer.— Psalm  xix,  1-14. 

The  harmony  between  nature  and  revelation,  or  between  God's 
works  and  his  word,  is  everywhere  apparent  in  the  Scriptures.  He 
who  in  the  beginning  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  is  the  Cre- 
ator and  Redeemer  of  man.  All  nature  is  in  sympathy  with  man, 
both  in  his  fall  and  in  his  recovery.  The  earth  was  cursed  for  man's 
sake,  and  the  whole  creation  groaneth  and  travaileth  together  until 
now,  waiting  for  the  adoption,  namely,  the  redemption  of  the  body, 
which  will  be  the  culmination  of  the  great  salvation  wrought  out  by 
God  for  man.  In  the  magnificent  and  highly  poetic  opening  of  the 
prophecy  of  Isaiah  he  calls  upon  the  heaven  and  earth  to  bear  God 
witness  as  to  the  things  which  he  is  about  to  say  to  Israel :  "Hear, 
0  heavens ;  and  give  ear,  O  earth ;  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken :  I  have 
nourished  and  brought  up  children,  and  they  have  rebelled  against 
me."  (Is.  i,  2.)  When  the  same  prophet  was  trying  to  encourage 
Jacob  to  trust  in  God  in  a  time  of  discouragement,  he  bade  him  view 
the  heavens :  "Lift  up  your  eyes  on  high,  and  behold,  who  hath  cre- 
ated these  things,  that  bringeth  out  their  host  by  number  :  he  calleth 

119 


120  GOD'S   WORKS  AND   WORD. 

them  all  by  names,  by  the  greatness  of  his  might,  for  he  is  strong  in 
power ;  not  one  f aileth.  Hast  thou  not  known,  hast  thou  not  heard, 
that  the  everlasting  God,  the  Lord,  the  Creator  of  the  ends  of  the 
earth,  fainteth  not,  neither  is  weary?"  (Is.  lx,  26-28.)  And  when 
he  wishes  Israel  to  know  the  certainty  of  his  promise,  and  that  the 
word  which  proceedeth  out  of  his  mouth  will  not  return  to  him  void, 
but  will  accomplish  that  whereto  he  hath  sent  it,  he  appeals  to  the 
infallible  operation  of  the  law  of  nature  in  respect  to  the  mission  of 
the  rain  and  the  snow.  (Is.  lv,  11.)  Our  Saviour's  well-known  par- 
ables of  nature  illustrate  the  same  great  truth.  The  prophets  and 
the  psalmists  of  the  Old  Testament  needed  not  to  have  a  chair  in 
their  theological  schools  for  the  harmonizing  of  science  and  revela- 
tion. The  glorious  creation  was  to  them  always  a  voice  of  God,  and 
all  their  inspired  utterances  were  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  facts 
of  nature. 

This  psalm  of  David  is  strikingly  in  harmony  with  the  eighth  and 
the  one  hundred  and  nineteenth  psalms.  In  the  eighth  we  have  this 
same  upward  look  at  the  heavens,  and  in  the  one  hundred  and  nine- 
teenth, we  have  his  profound  meditations  in  the  law  of  the  Lord. 
In  the  eighth  his  consideration  of  "the  heavens ;  the  work  of  thy 
fingers;  the  moon  and  the  stars  which  thou  hast  ordained"  (v.  3), 
wrought  in  him  great  humility :  in  the  present  psalm,  when  he  beheld 
the  sun,  in  the  glory  of  his  young  morning  strength  racing  across  the 
heavens,  the  sight  wrought  in  him  a  great  prayer  for  the  enlighten- 
ing and  cleansing  of  his  heart.  In  the  eighth  he  especially  beholds 
the  heavens  at  night,  while  in  this,  not  forgetting  what  he  had  seen 
of  the  night,  he  particularly  beholds  the  glory  of  God  in  the  light  of 
the  sun.  Surely  every  child  of  God  knows  the  joy  of  contemplating 
the  limitless  heavens  and  the  wonders  that  God  has  placed  in  tho 
firmament,  and  rejoices  that  the  God  of  Nature  is  also  his  God,  the 
God  of  the  Bible,  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The 
book  of  nature  and  the  book  of  revelation  were  certainly  the  work  of 
the  same  hand. 

I — THE   GLORIES   OF   NATURE. 

David  learned  to  love  Nature,  no  doubt,  when  he  was  a  shepherd 
boy,  tending  his  father's  sheep  in  the  wilderness.  We  can  fancy  the 
lad,  both  by  day  and  night,  lying  under  the  shade  of  some  over- 
spreading tree  and  looking  up  into  the  deep  blue  sea  of  the  heavens, 
and  being  filled  with  a  sense  of  its  vastness,  lighted  all  by  the  glory 
of  the  sun ;  or  reclining  on  some  hillock  at  night,  contemplating  the 


THE   GLORIES   OF   NATURE.  121 

myriad  stars  and  the  lovely  majesty  of  the  moon,  and  being  thrilled 
with  awe  and  reverence.  Nature  to  him,  however,  was  never  so 
great  as  God.  He  saw  in  the  sun  and  moon  and  stars,  not  objects 
of  worship,  but  only  the  handiwork  of  God,  the  mere  embroidery 
which  his  fingers  had  wrought  on  the  face  of  the  universe.  To  him 
they  did  but  declare  the  glory  of  God.  Moses  desired  to  see  the 
glory  of  God  when  he  was  in  the  wilderness  with  the  children  of 
Israel ;  he  desired  to  see  the  face  of  God  himself,  not  the  splendor  of 
his  works.  He  wished  to  see  God  unveiled  in  his  majesty.  This  he 
could  not  see  and  live.  It  was  given  him  afterward  to  see  that  glory 
veiled  but  resplendent  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ  on  the  Mount  of 
Transfiguration,  and  it  is  given  us  to  see  it  in  the  same  face,  as  that 
face  is  revealed  to  us  in  the  Gospel.  (II.  Cor.  iii,  15-18.)  It  was  in 
anticipation  of  this  great  truth  that  David  was  led  to  turn  from  the 
contemplation  of  the  heavens  to  the  wonders  of  God's  word,  where 
there  was  a  yet  deeper  glory  revealed.  When  he  looked  up  into 
God's  heavens,  he  was  filled  with  glorious  admiration  ;  but  when  he 
turned  to  contemplate  the  spiritual  depths  of  God's  law  he  was  filled 
with  a  sense  of  his  deep  need,  and  his  soul  poured  itself  out  in 
prayer  for  cleansing. 

1. — The  speech  of  the  heavens. — "Day  unto  day  uttereth 
speech,  and  night  unto  night  showeth  knowledge."  The  first  word 
cf  the  heavens  toman  is  that  of  a  question:  "Who  hath  made 
these  things?"  And  the  second  word  is  the  answer  to  the  question  : 
"In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth";  or  in 
the  language  cf  our  psalmist :  '  *  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of 
God."  Surely  he  is  but  a  madman  who  can  listen  to  the  voiceless 
speech  of  the  heavens  and  not  become  conscious  of  the  presence  of 
God  the  Creator.  Day  and  night  the  speech  is  the  same.  The 
speech  of  day,  when  there  is  no  cloud  in  the  sky,  as  for  days  I  have 
seen  it  out  here  in  the  tropics,  with  only  the  sun  shining  in  his 
strength,  and  the  blue  vault  above  suggestive  of  limitless  space,  tells 
us  one  story ;  the  speech  of  the  night,  when  the  sun  has  sunk  to  rest 
and  the  moon  rises  in  her  majesty  with  a  myriad  host  of  stars  in  her 
train,  tells  us  another.  In  some  respects  the  speech  of  the  mighty 
heavens  is  more  vocal,  their  story  more  voluminous  than  that  of  the 
day.  I  was  sailing  recently  for  three  weeks  under  a  tropical  sky, 
and  the  glory  and  delight  of  the  voyage  was  to  lie  on  the  deck  at 
night,  when  all  the  rest  were  asleep,  and  look  up  into  the  star-lit 
heavens.  How  vast !  how  unspeakably  magnificent !  how  over- 
whelming the  sense  of  space  and  distance !  how  inexpressibly 
mighty  the  extent  of  creation  !     How  incomprehensible  the  wisdom 


122  GOD'S    WORKS  AND   WORD. 

and  power  of  God,  not  alone  in  the  creation  of  all  these  multitude 
of  worlds,  but  in  adjusting  and  "balancing  them  and  arranging  their 
several  orbits!  Surely  the  "undevout  astronomer  is  mad."  The 
speech  of  the  heavens  is  "phaneron"  (Rom.  i,  19),  clear  and  distinct 
as  a  manifestation  or  revelation  of  God,  not  indeed  a  full  revelation, 
but  a  sufficient  unveiling  of  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead  to  leave 
every  creature,  who  has  eyes  to  take  in  the  visible  speech  of  the  sun, 
moon,  and  stars,  without  excuse  for  either  atheism  or  idolatry.  So 
Paul  puts  it.  "  Because  that  which  may  be  known  of  God,  is  mani- 
fest to  them ;  for  God  hath  shown  it  unto  them.  For  the  invisible 
things  of  him  from  the  creation  of  the  world  are  clearly  seen,  being 
understood  by  the  things  that  are,  even  his  eternal  power  and  God- 
head; so  that  they  are  without  excuse."  (Rom.  i,  19,  20.)  The 
speech  of  the  heavens,  though  wordless  and  voiceless  in  the  ordinary 
sense  of  those  words,  is  yet  a  speech  and  voice  which  is  everywhere 
understood — which,  in  fact,  constitutes  a  universal  language.  Men 
of  all  speech  and  language  understand  the  speech  of  the  heavens. 
Moreover,  the  voice  and  speech  of  the  heavens  have  penetrated  to 
the  utmost  limits  of  the  world;  wherever  men  dwell,  " Their  line  is 
gone  out  through  all  the  earth,  and  their  words  to  the  ends  of  tho 
world."  Thus  the  speech  of  the  heavens  is  a  kind  of  forerunner  to 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  which  is  to  follow  into  every  nation  and 
to  every  creature.  So  Paul,  speaking  in  a  historic-prophetic  vein, 
quotes  a  passage  of  this  psalm:  "But  I  say  have  they  not  heard?" 
(That  is,  the  heathen.)  "Yes,  verily,  their  sound  went  into  all  the 
earth  and  their  words  unto  the  ends  of  the  world."  (Rom.  x,  15- 
18.)  The  speech  of  the  heavens  teaches  all  that  is  grand  in  Theism, 
while  the  revelation  of  God  in  his  law  teaches  the  sublimer  doctrines 
of  Redemption  and  Salvation. 

2. — The  bridegroom  of  the  heavens. — Turning  from  a  general 
contemplation  of  the  heavens,  the  psalmist  concentrates  his  atten- 
tion on  the  most  glorious  object  within  their  limitless  expanse.  His 
imagination  shapes  the  vast  heavens  into  a  tabernacle  or  dwelling- 
place,  with  the  sun  as  its  central  and  chief  inhabitant.  A  gorgeous 
mansion  built  for  the  bridegroom  of  the  day,  whither  he  will  finally 
bring  his  bride.  Of  the  sun  he  says :  "He  is  as  a  bridegroom  com- 
ing out  of  his  chamber,  rejoicing  as  a  strong  man  to  run  a  race." 
Nobody  who  has  not  seen  the  sun  rise  in  the  East  can  quite  under- 
stand the  strength  and  beauty  of  this  figure  of  speech.  In  our 
Western  world  the  sun  rises,  as  it  were,  gradually  and  somewhat 
lazily  after  a  long  dawn  ;  but  in  the  East  he  fairly  leaps  up,  as  out  of 
a  bed  of  fire,  and  springs  by  bounds  up  into  the  sky.     I  have  spoken 


THE   BLESSINGS   OF   EEVELATION.  123 

of  my  delight  in  the  contemplation  of  the  midnight  skies  in  the  trop- 
ics. That  delight  was  only  equaled,  and  even  surpassed,  by  the  un- 
speakable delight  of  "watching,  morning  after  morning,  the  rising  of 
the  sun  literally  as  a  bridegroom  coming  out  of  his  chamber,  decked 
in  resplendent  robes  of  light,  a  glory  of  gold  and  crimson  such  as  the 
eye  never  beheld  elsewhere.  David  must  often  have  seen  the  sun 
so  rising  and  speeding  away  with  all  the  glorious  strength  of  a  strong 
man,  who  rejoices  not  in  the  race,  but  in  the  running  of  it,  every  step 
of  the  way  being  a  joy  to  him,  as  the  joy  of  Jesus  made  him  strong 
to  run  his  race  through  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  despising  cross 
and  shame  that  faced  him  on  the  path.  The  course  of  the  sun  is 
fully  unto  the  ends  of  the  heavens.  He  spans  the  whole  circuit,  and 
leaves  no  part  of  the  heavens  untouched  by  his  presence.  Nor  is  it 
a  mere  passing  visit.  He  leaves  blessings  behind  him.  "There  is 
nothing  hid  from  the  heat  thereof.'7  The  old  writers  were  certain  of 
the  allegorical  significance  of  this  part  of  David's  psalm.  Jesus,  like 
the  sun  (Mai.  iv,  2 ;  Rev.  i,  16 ;  x,  1),  rises  in  this  dark  world  and 
chases  away  the  darkness  ;  like  a  bridegroom  he  passes  through  the 
world  seeking  a  bride  for  himself,  to  dwell  with  him  in  the  taber- 
nacle which  God  has  built  for  him  in  the  heavens  ;  and  like  the  sun 
he  will  not  rest  until  he  had  thoroughly  passed  over  the  entire 
earth's  circuit,  and  all  people  shall  feel  the  effects  of  his  passage  in 
the  light  and  life  which  he  sheds  upon  the  world. 

H— THE   BLESSINGS   OF   REVELATION. 

Whether  or  not  David  was  allegorizing  when  he  thus  wrote  of  the 
heavens,  their  speech,  their  central  figure,  and  their  glory,  it  is  cer- 
tain that  his  thoughts  reverted  from  the  contemplation  of  the  heav- 
ens and  the  speech  thereof  to  the  Law  of  the  Lord,  with  its  speech 
and  mission.  The  transition  is  both  natural  and  inevitable,  and 
'ought  to  dispose  of  the  foolish  criticism  that  would  make  this  psalm 
a  patch-work  of  different  authors,  sewed  together  by  some  compara- 
tively modern  editor. 

1. — The  Law  of  the  Lord. — In  speaking  of  the  revelation  of  God, 
as  given  by  holy  men  of  old,  who  were  moved  to  speak  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  David  included  it  under  several  different  designations  :  "The 
Law "  ;  " the  Testimony  "  ;  "  the  Statutes  "  ;  "the  Commandments "  ; 
"the  Fear";  "the  Judgments."  Thus  is  the  revelation  of  God  to 
man  summed  up.  In  these  various  forms  of  revelation  we  may  find 
the  whole  mind  of  God  unfolded  to  us.  The  Law,  as  a  general  desig- 
nation of  the  Scriptures,  means  more  and  comprehends  more  than  is 


124  GOD'S   WORKS  AND   WORD. 

meant  or  comprehended  by  the  same  word  when  used  in  its  technical 
sense.  In  the  Law  of  the  Lord  we  have  not  only  a  revelation  of  his 
righteousness  and  the  eternal  principles  of  his  moral  government ; 
but  also  a  foreshadowing  of  his  Gospel.  In  the  various  statutes  and 
testimonies  in  connection  with  the  service  of  the  tabernacle  we  see 
the  great  truths  of  expiation  by  sacrifice,  the  forgiveness  of  sins, 
and  the  cleansing  of  the  soul.  In  "the  fear  of  the  Lord"  we  have 
the  suggestion  of  the  doctrine  and  practice  of  the  Law  of  the  Lord, 
and  in  the  "Judgments  of  the  Lord"  we  have  a  statement  of  the 
final  revelation  of  the  judgments  of  God  on  every  question  involved 
between  himself  and  man,  and  shows  how  these  judgments  are 
founded  on  principles  of  everlasting  righteousness  and  truth. 

2. — The  mission  of  the  Law. — In  the  various  designations  of 
the  law  the  psalmist  finds  occasion  to  point  out  its  varied  mission  to 
man.  The  law  being  perfect,  converts  the  soul.  This  expression  is 
probably  not  to  be  understood  in  the  same  sense  as  that  used  in  the 
New  Testament  to  describe  the  effects  of  the  Gospel.  It  rather 
means  that  the  law  turns  the  soul  from  mere  self-centered  contem- 
plation to  a  consideration  of  its  relations  to  God.  "  Thou  shalt  love 
the  Lord  thy  God,"  is  a  word  of  revelation  in  advance  of  the  mere 
speech  of  the  heavens,  which  says  "  There  is  a  God."  The  sure  testi- 
mony of  the  Lord  makes  wise  the  simple ;  that  is,  a  sure  word  is  the 
ground  of  that  wisdom  which  leads  to  salvation,  and  it  is  so  plain 
that  a  simple-minded  man  cannot  fail  to  understand  and  be  moved 
by  it.  The  statutes  of  the  Lord  being  right,  rejoice  the  heart.  A 
heart  given  up  to  God  takes  delight  in  knowing  exactly  what  is  the 
right  action  in  every  given  circumstance.  In  the  various  statutes 
and  minuter  definitions  of  revelation  man  has  a  sure  guide  to  con- 
duet,  and  rejoices  that  he  is  not  left  to  decide  doubtful  questions 
himself.  The  pure  commandment  of  the  Lord  enlighteneth  the  eyes 
of  our  understanding.  There  is  no  delphic  mistiness  about  God's 
commandments,  but  a  clear  and  pure  word  which  gives  light  at  once 
to  the  understanding  and  leaves  us  in  no  doubt.  The  doctrine  and 
practice  of  the  law  of  the  Lord  lead  to  cleanness  of  life  and  tend  to 
permanence  of  character,  which  it  both  forms  and  establishes.  The 
judgments  or  decisions  of  God's  word  on  all  questions  are  so  mani- 
festly based  on  truth  and  righteousness,  that  there  is  nothing  further 
left  for  mind  or  heart  to  desire.  No  further  revelation  in  this  re- 
spect could  be  received  or  comprehended  by  man. 

3. — The  value  of  the  judgments  of  God. — This  point  the  psalm- 
ist puts  in  three  ways.  First,  "They  are  more  to  be  desired  than 
gold."     Like  Wisdom,  their  price  is  beyond  rubies.     Whatever  gold 


SPIRITUAL   EXPERIENCE.  125 

may  have  in  itself,  it  cannot  convert  the  soul,  it  cannot  make  wise 
the  simple,  it  cannot  rejoice  the  heart,  it  cannot  enlighten  the  eyes, 
it  cannot  purify  the  life,  and  it  cannot  certify  the  possessor  that  all 
his  hopes  rest  upon  a  foundation  of  truth  and  righteousness.  It  is 
not  wonderful  that  it  has  come  to  be  a  kind  of  current  phrase  in  the 
Christian's  lips,  that  he  would  not  give  up  his  hope  in  Christ  for  all 
the  gold  and  silver  in  the  world.  Second,  "It  is  sweeter  than  honey 
and  the  honey-comb."  The  whole  law  of  God,  including  all  its  truth 
of  redemption  and  salvation,  is  sweeter  in  the  personal  consciousness 
of  the  believer  than  the  pure  honey  that  drops  from  the  honey-comb 
without  any  admixture  of  bee-bread.  "0,  taste  and  see  that  the 
Lord  is  good."  "His  commandments  are  not  grievous,"  but  delight- 
ful. Third,  "In  the  keeping  of  them  there  is  great  reward."  Not 
of  merit,  but  of  result.  It  would  require  pages  simply  to  enumerate 
the  blessings,  which  come  to  the  soul  that  simply  keeps  God's  word 
stored  up  in  the  memory  and  diligently  walks  in  the  way  of  its  pre- 
cepts. He  is  the  truly  happy  and  rich  man  who  delights  in  the  law 
of  the  Lord,  and  who  meditates  thereon  day  and  night.  These  are 
the  results  of  the  psalmist's  meditations  on  the  law. 

HI.— SPIRITUAL   EXPERIENCE. 

The  movement  of  the  psalm  is  perfectly  natural.  From  the  con- 
templation of  the  heavens  and  their  voiceless  but  universally  under- 
stood speech,  he  turns  to  the  "more  sure  word  of  prophecy"  written 
in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  considers  what  the  quality  of  its  speech. 
Having  discovered  the  excellency  and  meaning  of  revelation,  he  finds 
conviction  seizing  on  his  soul,  and  he  breaks  forth  into  a  great 
prayer  for  salvation.  He  who  contemplates  the  heavens  without  be- 
holding the  glory  of  God  has  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  their  speech ;  he 
who  studies  God's  word  only  to  find  doctrine  has  missed  the  end  of 
the  revelation.  But  he  who  beholds  the  law  of  sin  and  death,  and 
also  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus,  has  come  to  the 
place  where  God  meets  souls  for  salvation.  The  psalmist  shows  the 
power  of  the  law  in  his  heart  in  the  threefold  prayer  which  he  utters. 

1. — A  prayer  for  cleansing. — The  law  had  revealed  to  him  the 
errors  of  his  heart.  These  he  could  not  have  understood  but  for  the 
clear  law  of  God,  by  which  comes  the  knowledge  of  sin.  Having 
seen  himself  in  this  revealing  glass,  he  prays  for  cleansing ;  by  which 
we  may  suppose  he  comprehends  all  the  blessings  of  forgiveness, 
justification,  and  the  new  birth.  All  these  are  based  upon  the  one 
great  sacrifice  of  Christ,  whose  "blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin." 


126  GOD'S   WORKS    AND   WORD. 

2. — A  prayer  for  keeping. — The  secret  faults  of  life,  the  deep- 
seated  sins  which  corrupt  the  whole  nature,  are  not  all  the  troubles 
of  a  soul.  After  being  cleansed  and  set  right  with  God,  the  soul  is 
beset  by  many  sins  and  assaulted  by  many  temptations.  Presumpt- 
uous sins  may  be  generally  classified  as  the  sins  of  believers.  This 
prayer  is  then  to  be  understood  as  a  prayer  for  the  keeping  power  of 
God.  The  N«w  Testament  ground  for  such  a  prayer  may  be  fouud 
in  the  sixth  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  where  we  are 
urged  to  flee  from  sin  because  we  are  saved  by  grace,  and  warranted 
against  its  power  because  we  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace. 
"  Let  not  sin  therefore  reign  in  your  mortal  bodies."  This  prayer  is 
that  God  would  so  energize  our  spiritual  life,  and  strengthen  the 
new  man  in  us,  that  we  will  not  be  led  presumptuously  into  sin. 
Perhaps,  nay,  without  doubt,  David  had  a  thought  of  the  way  in 
which  he  was  tempted  into  the  great  transgression.  If  God  would 
keep  him  now  and  henceforth,  he  would  in  the  future  be  innocent  of 
any  such  sins.  We  all  need  most  earnestly  to  pray  to  be  kept  from 
presuming  to  sin  because  we  are  under  grace,  and  not  law. 

3. — A  prayer  for  a  worshipful  spirit. — "Let  the  words  of  my 
mouth  and  the  meditations  of  my  heart  be  acceptable  in  thy  sight, 
O  Lord,  my  Strength  and  my  Redeemer."  These  two  designations 
of  God,  " Strength"  and  "Redeemer,"  show  how  evangelical  were 
the  psalmist's  conceptions  of  God,  who  created  the  heavens  and  re- 
vealed himself  in  the  law.  He  desires  that  his  speech  may  be  in 
harmony  with  that  of  the  heavens  and  the  revelation  in  the  law ; 
that  the  very  thoughts  of  his  heart  may  be  such  as  will  give  pleasure 
to  God.  This  is  true  worship.  A  right  speech  proceeding  out  of  a 
pure  heart,  whose  thoughts  are  inspired  by  and  wakened  into  a  tune- 
ful harmony  with  the  soul  of  God's  perfect  word. 


April  34,  1892. 


XVII. 
THE    LORD    MY   SHEPHERD.-Psalm  xxiii,  1-6. 

(1)  The  Lord  is  my  shepherd  ;  I  shall  not  want.  (2)  He  maketh  mc  to  lie  down 
in  green  pastures  :  he  leadeth  mc  beside  the  still  waters.  (3)  He  restoreth  my  soul : 
he  leadeth  me  in  the  paths  of  righteousness  for  bis  name's  sake.  (4)  Yea,  though  I 
walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil  :  for  thou  art  with 
me  ;  thy  rod  and  thy  staff  they  comfort  me.  (5)  Thou  preparest  a  table  before  me 
in  the  presence  of  mine  enemies  :  thou  anointest  my  head  with  oil;  my  cup  runneth 
over.  (G)  Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall  follow  me  all  the  days  of  my  life  :  and 
I  will  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  for  ever.— Psalm  xxiii,  1-6. 

Perhaps  there  is  no  single  passage  in  the  whole  Bible  so  familiar 
to  the  whole  people  of  Christendom  as  this  twenty-third  psalm,  un- 
less it  be  that  which  is  called  the  Lord's  Prayer.  This  psalm  stands 
in  relation  to  the  whole  book  in  which  it  is  incorporate  much  as  the 
parable  of  the  Prodigal  Son  stands  to  all  the  other  parables  of  our 
Lord.  It  is  a  psalm  universally  appropriated.  It  seems  somehow 
to  have  sung  itself  into  harmony  with  all  hearts.  In  joy  or  in  sor- 
row, in  depressed  spiritual  condition,  or  in  exultation  of  confidence 
and  victorious  faith,  it  seems  equally  appropriate  for  giving  expres- 
sion to  the  deepest  religious  feelings  of  the  heart.  Its  literary 
beauty  is  without  comparison.  Its  smooth  and  sweetly-flowing 
measures  are  apparent  to  the  most  uncritical  reader.  It  has  afforded 
a  never-failing  theme  for  commentators  and  expositors,  for  preach- 
ers and  Bible  readers.  The  literature  of  the  twenty-third  psalm 
would  make  a  good  library  of  itself ;  and  that  with  this  peculiarity, 
that  it  is  without  an  element  of  controversy.  When  critics  and  ex- 
positors come  to  deal  with  this  psalm,  its  sweet  spiritual  significance, 
its  green  pastures  and  still  waters  so  refresh  and  quiet  the  soul,  that 
all  spirit  of  controversy  dies  out  of  the  mind  of  the  critic  and  po- 
lemic, and  he  surrenders  himself  to  the  charm  of  this  heavenly  song, 
as  I  have  no  doubt  all  contending  saints  will  surrender  their  points 
of  contention  at  the  pearly  gates  of  heaven.  Every  verse,  every 
clause  of  the  psalm,  is  a  sufficient  text  for  a  whole  sermon  or  homily, 
and  to  deal  with  it  briefly  is  the  most  difficult  part  of  the  expositor's 
task.     There  seems  to  be  no  doubt  that  the  psalm  was  written  by 

127 


128  THE   LORD   MY   SHEPHERD. 

David.  The  greatest  variety  of  opinion  exists  as  to  the  period  in 
David's  life  when  it  was  written.  It  seems  too  full  and  mature  to 
have  been  composed  in  his  youth,  as  some  suppose ;  while  others 
think  its  freshness  and  peaceful  numbers  preclude  the  idea  of  its 
composition  at  a  later  and  more  turbulent  period  of  the  great  king's 
life.  Its  historical  setting  is  uncertain,  as  well  as  the  date  of  its  com- 
position. From  all  the  circumstances,  and  especially  from  certain 
internal  evidences,  I  am  inclined  to  the  opinion  that  it  was  written 
either  during  the  king's  flight  from  Jerusalem  at  the  time  of  Absa- 
lom's rebellion,  or  at  least  suggested  by  that  event.  Such  a  point, 
however,  does  not  matter.  The  precious  treasure  contained  in  the 
psalm  does  not  depend  for  its  value  on  the  time  when  it  was  mined, 
or  the  circumstances  under  which  it  was  digged  up. 

I.— THE  SHEPHERD  AND  HIS  SHEEP. 

The  term  Shepherd  is  frequently  applied  to  God  in  the  Scriptures. 
(Gen.  xlviii,  15 ;  xlix,  24 ;  Ps.  lxxviii,  52 ;  lxxx,  1 ;  Mic.  vii,  14 ;  Is. 
lxiii,  11.)  It  is  used  to  designate  the  Messiah.  (Is.  xl,  11;  Ezek. 
xxxiv,  11-16  ;  Zech.  xi,  4.)  It  is  therefore  applied  to  Jesus  in  the  New 
Testament.  (John  x,  1-16  ;  Heb.  xiii,  20  ;  I.  Pet.  ii,  25 ;  v,  4.)  The 
term  " flock,"  or  "  sheep  of  his  pasture,"  is  used  to  designate  the 
people  of  God.  (Ps.  lxxiv,  1 ;  lxxix,  13 ;  xcv,  7 ;  c,  3 ;  Jer.  xxiii,  1, 
etc. )  All  these  passages,  and  many  others,  may  be  studied  with 
profit  in  connection  with  this  psalm,  and  will  greatly  increase  the 
richness  of  the  feast  spread  on  this  table. 

1. — The  relation  between  Shepherd  and  sheep. — We  have  at 
the  very  outset  a  contrast  between  weakness  and  strength.  The 
sheep,  of  all  animals,  is  the  weakest  and  most  dependent  on  care 
and  protection.  It  is  the  most  helpless  creature;  as  stupid  in  all 
the  emergencies  that  come  upon  it  as  it  is  timid  and  powerless  in 
the  grasp  of  its  foes.  I  think  it  is  on  this  account  that  the  "  sheep  " 
and  the  " flock"  have  been  chosen  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  designate 
in  a  figure  the  people  of  God.  It  is  only  when  we  realize  what  sheep 
we  are,  and  in  what  danger  as  sheep  among  wolves,  that  we  turn 
with  sweet  and  sublime  confidence  to  our  Great  Shepherd,  who  says 
to  us  encouragingly:  "Fear  not,  little  flock."  The  Lord  is  the  Shep- 
herd of  the  psalmist,  and  ours  too,  if  we  have  claimed  him  as  such. 
The  Lord  is  not  alone  God,  but  Jehovah.  God  is  in  his  covenant  of 
grace  with  us,  to  make  us,  through  redemption,  more  than  conquerors 
in  every  conflict  and  over  every  danger.  It  is  helpful  to  study  the 
names  in  the  first  part  of  the  ninety-first  psalm,  and  then  gather 


THE   SHEPHERD   AND   HIS   SHEEP.  129 

them  all  up  with  their  deep  significance  and  give  them  to  our  Shep- 
herd. "  The  Almighty  "  ;  "  The  Most  High  » j  "  Jehovah  » ;  "  God." 
This  is  our  Shepherd ;  and  if  he  has  undertaken  to  watch  over  us, 
feed  us,  defend  us,  and  lead  us,  surely  we  may  be  very  confident. 
As  to  the  relation,  the  psalmist  seems  very  sure.  "  The  Lord  is  my 
Shepherd."  If  there  is  doubt  here,  then  there  is  no  comfort  in  the 
psalm.  "The  Good  Shepherd  giveth  his  life  for  the  sheep."  (John 
x,  11.)  The  Great  Shepherd  repairs  us  for  every  good  work.  (Heb. 
xiii,  21.)  And  the  Chief  Shepherd  will  give  a  crown  of  glory  when 
he  appears.  (I.  Pet.  v,  4. )  But  of  what  avail  is  all  this,  if  he  is  not 
"my  "  Shepherd?  So  far  as  he  is  concerned,  he  offers  himself  freely 
to  every  soul  in  the  universe,  and  puts  all  his  vast  power  and  wis- 
dom, his  faithfulness  and  his  love,  his  strength  and  his  might,  at 
our  disposal.  If  he  is  not  our  Shepherd,  it  is  then  only  because  we 
are  proud  and  self-sufficient,  and  will  not  become  his  sheep.  Before 
we  can  go  further  into  the  comfort  of  this  psalm,  and  avail  ourselves 
of  its  promises,  we  must  settle  this  first  question  :  "Is  the  Lord  my 
Shepherd  ?  "  If  he  is,  then  we  can  go  on  and  appropriate  all  that  fol- 
lows, and  rejoice  in  the  fullness  of  assurance. 

2. — All  need  supplied. — "I  shall  not  want."  This  is  the  first 
conclusion  from  the  original  statement.  If  the  Lord  is  our  Shep- 
herd, of  course  it  follows  that  we  shall  not  want.  Our  wants  are 
very  great,  both  spiritually  and  temporally.  But  with  Jesus  for  our 
Shepherd,  we  shall  not  want.  We  shall  not  want  for  redemption, 
for  he  has  laid  his  life  down  for  us  ;  we  shall  not  want  for  any  of  the 
blessings  of  redemption,  because  "in  him  we  have"  everything  that 
the  soul  needs.  (Eph.  i,  7  seq. )  We  shall  not  want  in  time  of  health 
or  sickness,  in  life  or  death,  in  prosperity  or  need.  Though  death 
overtake  us,  the  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  who  was  brought  again 
from  the  dead,  will  bring  us  with  him  into  his  glory.  We  shall  not 
want  for  any  earthly  thing  which  we  need.  "  The  Lord  God  is  a 
sun  and  a  shield,  he  will  give  grace  and  glory,  and  no  good  thing 
will  he  withhold  from  them  that  walk  uprightly."  (Ps.  lxxxiv,  11.) 
"My  God  shall  supply  all  your  need,  according  to  his  riches  in  glory 
by  Christ  Jesus."  (Phil,  iv,  19.)  The  guarantee  in  these,  and 
many  other  passages  like  them,  is  for  "need,"  not  for  "lust."  Paul 
knew  how  to  be  full  and  how  to  be  hungry ;  how  to  be  abased  and 
how  to  abound ;  he  knew  the  secret  of  having  nothing,  and  yet  pos- 
sessing all  things ;  of  being  poor,  and  yet  able  to  make  many  rich ; 
of  being  filled  with  divine  contentment  in  whatsoever  state  he  was. 
This  indeed  is  not  to  want.  Yet  we  are  not  to  understand  that  the 
Lord  is  meager  in  his  supplies ;  for  the  psalmist  goes  on  to  tell  us 


130  THE   LORD   MY   SHEPHERD. 

how  richly  he  has  been  provided  for.  "He  maketh  me  to  lie  down 
in  green  pastures."  What  more  can  a  sheep  desire  or  need  beyond 
this  ?  A  pasture  of  young  and  springing  grass.  A  sheep  lying  down 
in  such  a  pasture,  is  a  sheep  fully  satisfied.  A  hungry  sheep  would 
not  be  lying  down.  This  is  a  beautiful  picture ;  satisfied  in  the 
midst  of  plenty.  No  doubt  the  Lord  has  many  hungry  and  lean 
sheep  in  his  flock,  but  none  in  his  pasture.  If  his  sheep,  as,  alas, 
many  do,  will  jump  the  bars  and  get  out  into  the  world,  and  feed 
among  the  goats,  they  must  expect  leanness  to  their  souls,  for  what- 
ever a  sheep  may  get  among  the  goats,  he  cannot  get  fatness  and 
spiritual  supply.  "He  leadeth  me  beside  the  still  waters."  The 
waters  of  stillness,  or  refreshing.  This  must  suggest  to  us  the  re- 
freshing and  life-giving  Spirit.  May  not  the  pasture  be  the  rich 
word  of  God  on  which  we  feed,  may  not  the  waters  be  the  life-giving 
Spirit  of  God  that  is  ever  inseparable  from  the  prayerful  study  of  his 
word? 

3. — Soul-restoration. — If  this  psalm  was  written,  as  I  think  it 
was,  after  David's  great  sin,  when  he  was  a  fugitive  from  Absalom, 
one  of  the  bitter  consequences  of  that  sin,  his  thoughts  naturally 
reverted  to  that  sad  chapter  in  his  history.  He  comforted  himself 
with  this,  that  though  there  were  sad  and  bitter  temporal  conse- 
quences still  to  be  reaped  from  his  sin,  Divine  forgiveness  had  come 
to  him,  and  his  soul  was  restored,  brought  back  to  God,  and  with 
this  comfortable  assurance,  he  could  bear  the  other  afflictions  with 
patience.  But  apart  from  any  historical  connection,  what  more 
precious  thought  than  this :  that  when  we  go  astray  like  wandering 
sheep,  our  Shepherd  is  such  an  one  that  he  restores  us  and  brings 
us  back.  It  may  also  carry  another  and  even  deeper  meaning : 
"He  restoreth  my  soul"  ;  he  keeps  it  up  with  heavenly  enrichment 
and  constant  supply.  The  waste  of  spiritual  life  is  constantly  made 
up  by  new  supplies  of  grace,  as  the  waste  of  physical  tissue  is  re- 
stored by  our  daily  food.  The  Christian  has  great  need  of  this,  for 
every  temptation  resisted,  every  bit  of  work  done,  every  trial  en- 
dured, takes  "virtue  out  of  us,"  and  if  we  were  not  constantly  re- 
stored, we  should  soon  become  exhausted. 

4. — Perfect  guidance. — A  sheep  does  not  know  where  or  how 
to  walk.  No  more  does  a  Christian.  If  God,  our  Shepherd,  did  not 
undertake  to  guide  us  with  his  Spirit  and  hold  us  by  our  right  hand, 
we  should  be  making  innumerable  blunders,  taking  all  kinds  of 
wrong  paths,  and  getting  into  all  kinds  of  dangerous  places.  "He 
leadeth  me  in  paths  of  righteousness  for  his  name's  sake."  Paths 
of  righteousness  are  paths  of  rightness  and  safety  as  well.     "Who 


QUIETNESS  AND  CONFIDENCE.  131 

is  he  that  can  harm  you,  if  ye  be  followers  of  that  which  is  good  ? " 
(I.  Pet.  iii,  13.)  If  we  walk  by  the  Spirit,  we  shall  not  fulfill  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh.  (Gal.  v,  16.)  In  the  twenty-seventh  psalm  David 
prays  that  God  would  lead  him  in  a  plain  path  because  of  his  ene- 
mies, those  who  were  watching  him  to  see  him  make  some  crooked 
mistake ;  in  this  psalm  he  rejoices  that  he  is  so  led  in  a  right,  and 
consequently  a  safe  path.  How  many  of  God's  sheep  would  go  over 
the  precipices  of  destruction  if  it  were  not  for  the  Good  Shepherd's 
patient  and  faithful  leading !  And  their  sweetness  is  made  more 
sweet  because  he  does  it  for  his  name's  sake.  Not  alone  for  our 
sake,  but  for  his  own.  His  own  glory  and  his  own  joy  are  so  wrapped 
up  in  the  safety  and  beauty  of  his  flock,  that  he  makes  our  need  his 
care. 

5. — Victory  over  death. — In  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death 
he  would  fear  no  evil.  There  were  many  dark  and  narrow  defiles 
in  the  deep  valleys  through  which  the  shepherd  of  Palestine  had  to 
lead  his  sheep  and  protect  them  from  the  wild  beasts  that  lurked 
therein  ready  to  spring  upon  them.  It  is  possible  that,  as  David 
was  fleeing  from  his  rebellious  son  and  his  treacherous  subjects,  he 
thought  that  death  might  be  his  portion  ;  but  in  this  also  he  was  con- 
fident in  his  Shepherd.  I  may  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death,  but  I  will  fear  no  evil.  "  Thou  art  with  me."  How  can 
I  fear  if  Jesus  is  with  me?  "Thy  rod  and  thy  staff  they  comfort 
me."  The  rod  of  the  shepherd  was  for  guiding  and  correcting  the 
flock,  the  staff  was  the  heavy,  iron-shod  mace  which  the  shepherd 
carried  at  his  side  in  order  to  beat  off  the  wild  beasts  that  might  at- 
tack his  flock.  The  presence  of  the  Great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep, 
who  has  passed  through  death  and  the  grave,  with  his  mighty  weap- 
ons of  defense,  brings  "comfort," — substantial  aid  to  the  weakest 
sheep  as  he  passes  through  this  valley  of  shadows,  and  not  only  pro- 
tects and  saves  him  from  the  power  of  death,  but  delivers  him  from 
its  very  fear  of  it.  The  believer  passes  through  this  valley  not  dead, 
but,  as  it  were,  full  of  life,  "walking";  he  escapes  the  very  sub- 
stance of  death,  at  most  but  encountering  its  shadow.  No  wonder 
the  psalmist  sung  when  he  thought  on  these  things. 

H.— QUIETNESS    AND   CONFIDENCE. 

The  psalmist  now  changes  his  figure,  but  keeps  to  his  thought. 
In  the  former  part  of  the  psalm  he  is  a  sheep,  and  the  Lord  is  his 
shepherd.  Here  he  is  a  guest,  with  the  Lord  as  his  host.  As  a 
sheep  his  need  was  supplied  out  of  green  pastures  and  still  waters ; 


132  THE   LORD   MY   SHEPHERD. 

as  a  guest  his  table  was  supplied  out  of  a  bountiful  storeroom,  and 
he  was  enabled  to  sit  down  quietly  and  eat  without  a  fear. 

1. — The  table  supplied. — If  we  are  right  in  supposing  that  this 
psalm  was  written  during  the  king's  hasty  flight  from  Jerusalem,  he 
may  have  been  thinking  with  gratitude  of  how  Ziba,  and  Shobi,  and 
Machir,  and  Barzillai  brought  him  out  great  supplies  of  raisins, 
wheat,  barley,  flour,  parched  corn,  beans,  lentils,  honey,  butter, 
sheep,  and  kine  to  supply  all  his  need  in  the  wilderness.  (II.  Sam. 
xv,  1 ;  xvii,  27-29. )  Thus  did  the  Lord  supply  his  table  even  in 
presence  of  his  enemies.  So  will  the  Lord  take  care  of  us  and  en- 
able us  in  quietness  to  eat  and  drink  of  both  spiritual  and  temporal 
supplies.  The  complete  lesson  of  the  verse  is  that,  whatever  be  our 
surroundings  or  perils,  our  gracious  God  is  able  to  keep  us,  if  stayed 
on  him,  in  perfect  peace,  and  will  supply  all  our  needs,  according 
to  his  riches,  in  Christ  Jesus. 

2. — The  anointing. — "  Thou  anointest  my  head  with  oil."  David 
was  a  fugitive  ;  humanly  speaking,  he  was  hopelessly  ruined.  His 
kingdom  had  been  wrested  from  him  and  another  ruled  in  his  stead. 
Yet,  when  he  thought  the  matter  over,  and  saw  how  God  was  caring 
for  him  in  the  wilderness,  by  spreading  a  table  for  him  in  presence 
of  his  enemies,  he  remembered  that  he  was  king  not  by  his  own 
choosing  or  seeking,  much  less  by  his  own  merit.  God  had  sought 
him  out,  anointed  him  as  king,  and  made  a  voluntary  covenant  with 
him  respecting  his  own  reign  and  that  of  his  descendants.  "I  am 
a  king  by  God's  appointment ;  he  set  me  on  the  throne,  and  not  I  my- 
self ;  that  anointing  is  the  pledge  of  my  return.  He  will  devise 
means  that  his  banished  be  not  expelled  from  him."  So  he  com- 
forted himself  and  took  hope  for  his  return.  This  may  we  all  do. 
We  also  have  an  anointing  and  a  sealing  for  our  salvation,  and  for 
kingship  with  our  Lord  in  his  new  and  everlasting  kingdom.  The 
times  may  be  out  of  joint ;  the  perils  around  us  may  be  great ;  our 
own  sins  may  have  brought  us  into  great  and  grave  troubles ;  our 
enemies  may  be  numerous  and  strong;  yet  God  has  " anointed  us," 
and  he  will  see  that  the  pledge  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  redeemed,  and 
that  we  are  brought  off  more  than  conquerors  through  Jesus  Christ, 
who  loved  us. 

3. — The  overflowing  cup. — "My  cup  runneth  over."  Here  in- 
deed is  triumph.  A  banished  king,  with  everything  against  him ;  a 
man  suffering  the  temporal  consequences  of  his  own  sin ;  surrounded 
by  enemies ;  walking,  as  it  were,  through  the  very  valley  of  the 
shadow  of  death,  that  man  rejoices  over  what  he  calls  "an  overflow- 
ing cup."     His  soul  is  in  an  intoxication  of  joy  and  gladness.     And 


QUIETNESS  AND   CONFIDENCE.  133 

what  was  the  occasion  of  it  all  ?  Why,  just  what  he  has  been  re- 
hearsing to  us.  The  Lord  was  his  Shepherd;  he  was  in  no  want, 
but  supplied  to  the  full;  his  seal  was  restored,  and  though  he  had 
taken  some  bad  and  crooked  paths,  he  was  now  in  the  hands  of  a 
Shepherd  who  would  lead  him  for  his  own  name's  sake ;  death  had 
no  terrors  for  him  ;  his  table  was  spread  in  presence  of  his  enemies, 
and  he  knew  that  his  God  was  able  to  deliver  him ;  the  holy  anoint- 
ing was  upon  him,  and  he  was  still  God's  king,  and  would  find  his 
kingdom  in  spite  cf  his  enemies.  All  this  made  him  glad  with  an 
exceeding  great  and  happy  gladness.  His  cup  was  running  over 
with  joy.  And  may  not  we  rejoice  in  like  manner?  Is  it  not  to 
good  purpose  that  we  are  bidden  to  " rejoice  in  the  Lord  always?" 
Surely  we  have  diad  enough  experience  of  the  Lord's  goodness  and 
grace  to  fill  our  hearts  with  joy  and  our  lips  with  songs  of  praise. 
What  hath  not  the  Lord  done  for  us  ?  The  mere  fact  of  our  sins 
being  forgiven  and  our  souls  born  again  is  enough  to  make  us  sing 
songs  forever ;  but  when  we  remember  all  his  loving-kindnesses  and 
tender  mercies,  how  can  we  express  our  gladness  except  in  some 
such  way  as  this  ?  Surely  our  cup  runneth  over.  God  has  filled  it 
to  the  brim  with  good  things,  and  then  in  turn  our  joy  is  like  that 
which  comes  from  a  well-filled  and  overflowing  cup  of  good  wine, 
"which  maketh  glad  the  heart  of  man." 

4. — The  heavenly  footmen. — "  Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall 
follow  me  all  the  days  of  my  life."  This  is  the  conclusion  which 
the  psalmist  came  to,  even  while,  to  the  outward  appearance,  he 
was  suffering  the  deepest  affliction  and  the  greatest  misfortunes.  It 
is  one  of  the  riddles  of  the  Christian  life,  which  is  inexplicable  to 
the  unbelieving  world,  that  what  seems  afflictions  to  them  are  really, 
if  not  the  actual  means,  at  least  the  occasion  of  such  soul-blessing 
that  the  saints  know  how  "to  rejoice  in  tribulation  also."  What 
seems  ill  to  others  is  good  to  them.  Ill  that  God  blesses  is  always 
our  good ;  unblessed  good  must  ever  be  ill.  It  is  true  in  this  life 
that  those  who  are  rich  in  earthly  possessions  are  followed,  as  they 
travel  about,  with  footmen  to  wait  on  them.  I  am  seeing  this  every 
day  out  here  in  this  Oriental  country,  where  everybody  is  waited  on 
by  crowds  of  footmen  and  servants.  But  David,  poor  and  bereft  as 
he  was  of  the  servants  who  were  always  ready  to  do  his  bidding  while 
he  reigned  in  earthly  splendor,  now  saw  himself  attended  by  two 
heavenly  footmen,  "Goodness"  and  " Mercy "  by  name,  who  were 
appointed  by  God  to  follow  him  all  the  days  of  his  life.  These 
heavenly  footmen  do  not  desert  us  in  our  affliction  and  times  of 
need,  but  then  more  than  ever  they  follow  and  serve  us.     They  are 


134  THE   LORD  MY   SHEPHERD. 

God's  servants,  appointed  to  wait  on  his  children,  and  they  serve 
the  lowly  with  no  less  diligence  than  the  great.  Moreover,  each 
servant  of  God's  giving  has  his  special  appointment ;  nor  should  we 
be  "  complete  in  him  "  without  both.  "  Goodness  supplies  our  needs, 
and  Mercy  blots  out  our  sins." 

5. — At  home  with  God  forever. — "And  I  will  dwell  in  the 
house  of  the  Lord  forever."  Dwelling  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  does 
not  mean  taking  up  an  abode  in  the  sanctuary,  but  being  in  the 
family  of  God,  having  part  and  lot  with  his  children,  enjoying  his 
love  and  communion,  feeding  on  his  plenty,  profiting  by  his  instruc- 
tion, and  being  protected  by  his  power.  Henceforth  there  are  to  be 
no  more  wanderings,  no  more  compromises  with  the  children  of  this 
world,  but  a  quiet  and  happy  contentment  in  the  Father's  house.  I 
think  when  the  Prodigal  Son  returned  to  his  father's  house,  experi- 
enced his  goodness  and  mercy,  and  saw  the  gladness  with  which  he 
was  welcomed  back,  he  must  have  said :  "  This  is  my  rest ;  here  will 
I  stay."  My  father's  house  shall  be  mine  forever;  nor  will  I  stray 
again  into  far  countries,  where  I  have  wasted  my  substance,  done 
hurt  to  my  soul,  and  put  shame  on  my  father's  name.  It  is  not  "I 
will  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  forever;"  but  "I  shall."  God 
will  by  his  grace  put  sweet  compulsion  on  my  soul  and  keep  me.  It 
is  my  choice  to  do  this  certainly,  but  my  will  is  not  sufficient.  I  have 
availed  myself  of  God's  everlasting  "shall";  I  have  so  surrendered 
to  him,  so  submitted  myself,  that  he  will  keep  me,  therefore  I  shall 
be  kept.  May  the  Lord  interpret  this  sweetest  of  psalms  to  our 
souls,  teach  us  its  divine  lessons,  and  lead  us  into  its  green  pastures, 
and,  beside  its  still  waters,  restore  our  wandering  and  wasted  souls ; 
lead  us  in  right  paths  ;  give  us  victory  over  all  fear ;  spread  our  table 
for  us ;  appoint  his  goodness  and  mercy  to  keep  us  and  give  us  a 
happy  home  with  him  forever. 


May  1,  1893. 


XVIII. 

THE    PRAYER   OF   THE   PENITENT.— Psalm  li,  1-13.     , 

(1)  Have  mercy  on  me,  O  God,  according  to  thy  lovingkindness  :  according  unto 
the  multitude  of  thy  tender  mercies  blot  out  my  transgressions.  (2)  Wash  me  thor- 
oughly from  mine  iniquity,  and  cleanse  me  from  my  sin.  (3)  For  I  acknowledge 
my  transgressions  :  and  my  sin  is  ever  before  me.  (4)  Against  thee,  thee  only,  have 
I  sinned,  and  done  this  evil  in  thy  sight :  that  thou  mightest  be  justified  when  thou 
speakest,  and  be  clear  when  thou  judgest.  (5)  Behold,  I  was  shapen  in  iniquity ; 
and  in  sin  did  my  mother  conceive  me.  (6)  Behold,  thou  desirest  truth  in  the  inward 
parts  :  and  in  the  hidden  part  thou  shalt  make  me  to  know  wisdom.  (7)  Purge  me 
with  hyssop,  and  I  shall  be  clean :  wash  me,  and  I  shall  be  whiter  than  snow. 
(8)  Make  me  to  hear  joy  and  gladness  ;  that  the  bones  which  thou  hast  broken  may 
rejoice.  (9)  Hide  thy  face  from  my  sins,  and  blot  out  all  mine  iniquities.  (10)  Create 
in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God  ;  and  renew  a  right  spirit  within  me.  (11)  Cast  me  not 
away  from  thy  presence  ;  and  take  not  thy  Holy  Spirit  from  me.  (12)  Restore  unto 
me  the  joy  of  thy  salvation  ;  and  uphold  me  with  thy  free  Spirit.  (IS)  Then  will  I 
teach  transgressors  thy  ways ;  and  sinners  shall  be  converted  unto  thee.— Psalm 
li,  1-13. 

Luther  said  that  this  psalm  had  been  used  more  in  prayer  and  song 
in  the  Church  than  any  in  the  psalter.  Like  the  twenty-third  psalm, 
it  strikes  a  deep  and  responsive  chord,  though  of  a  different  nature, 
in  every  heart  that  knows  God,  and  has  had  the  spiritual  experience 
of  the  bitterness  of  sin  and  the  joy  of  forgiveness.  Concerning  the 
authorship  and  the  occasion  for  the  writing  of  this  psalm  there  is  no 
doubt.  It  is  a  psalm  of  David,  the  king  of  Israel,  who,  through  idle- 
ness and  indulgence,  neglect  of  duty,  and  love  of  ease,  had  fallen 
into  a  great  sin,  the  details  of  which  are  recorded  in  II.  Samuel  xi, 
xii.  It  was  probably  written  some  considerable  time  after  the 
events  which  these  chapters  narrate,  and  was  intended  as  an  offer- 
ing of  praise  and  gratitude  to  God  for  his  great  mercy  in  forgiving 
his  sin  and  restoring  him  to  divine  favor.  It  is  remarkable  as  being 
a  clear  analysis  of  sin,  and  an  exhibition  of  the  way  of  salvation 
based  on  an  evangelical  insight  into  the  method  of  God's  grace  with 
sinners.  Though  uttered  by  a  saint  under  the  Old  Testament  dis- 
pensation, it  is  perfectly  fitted  to  express  the  penitent  desires  and 
thanksgiving  of  a  believer  in  New  Testament  times.  It  is  also  re- 
markable as  showing  that  a  man  who  is  in  the  most  exalted  position, 

135 


136  THE   PRAYER   OF   THE   PENITENT. 

when  really  convicted  of  sin,  will  not  hide  behind  his  position,  to 
seek  special  favor  or  exemption  on  that  ground.  It  further  shows 
that  past  grace  is  not  in  anywise  a  warrant  for  present  sin,  and  no 
amount  of  gracious  character  exhibited  in  the  past  is  any  guarantee 
against  temptations  in  the  present  and  future,  against  which  even 
the  most  gracious  soul  must  be  constantly  on  guard.  There  is  also 
this  gracious  lesson  contained  in  it.  No  matter  how  deep  and  des- 
perate sin  is,  grace  is  greater  than  sin.  Nor  is  high  position,  either 
of  earthly  estate  or  spiritual  eminence,  a  guarantee  against  a  great 
and  deplorable  fall.  Many  years  of  a  gracious  life  and  of  distin- 
guished favor  with  God  tends  to  strengthen  the  Christian  character, 
but  character  itself,  apart  from  a  constant  dependence  upon  the  mo- 
mentary keeping  power  of  God,  is  not  sufficient  to  preserve  a  man 
from  a  wave  of  temptation.  Even  Jesus  our  Lord,  though  he  had 
no  inward  bias  toward  sin,  yet  having  taken  our  nature,  having  put 
himself  voluntarily  under  the  law  and  subjected  himself  to  the  trial 
of  temptation,  had  to  pray  against  the  power  of  sin  and  the  assaults 
of  Satan.  In  fact,  this  psalm  ranges  over  the  most  complex  ques- 
tions, and  is  a  measuring  line  and  a  plummet,  of  which  it  will  be 
profitable  for  us  all  to  learn  the  use  by  personal  application.  There 
is  just  another  general  lesson  that  is  well  worth  our  thought  before 
we  enter  upon  the  detailed  examination  of  David's  prayer.  All  true 
penitence  must  take  account  of  God's  willingness  and  readiness  to 
forgive.  The  repentance  which  deals  only  with  sin,  and  not  with 
grace,  is  nothing  more  or  better  than  despair,  and  will  lead  a  man  to 
go  out  and  hang  himself,  as  did  Judas,  rather  than  to  go  out  and 
weep  bitterly,  as  did  Peter.  It  was  that  single  glimpse  of  the  Sa- 
viour's face  that  saved  Peter  from  the  fate  of  Judas. 

I.— THE   PRAYER. 

This  prayer  of  David  was  both  general  and  specific.  He  desired 
mercy,  and  he  desired  it  to  be  specifically  manifested  in  several  ways, 
which  he  enumerates.  The  petition  also  contains  specific  acknowledg- 
ment of  his  trouble  and  the  cause  of  his  need.  That  he  had  a  large  and 
right  apprehension  of  the  character  of  God  is  seen  from  the  ground 
argument  which  he  uses :  "According  to  thy  loving-kindness,  and 
the  multitude  of  thy  tender  mercies."  He  knew  that  the  nature  of 
God,  though  just,  was  also  gracious ;  that  though  he  would  by  no 
means  clear  the  guilty,  yet  he  was  "merciful  and  gracious,  abundant 
in  goodness  and  truth ;  keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  in- 
iquity and  transgression  and  sin."     (Ex.  xxxiv,  6,  7.)     There  is  no 


THE   PRAYER,  137 

doubt  that  David  had  this  great  passage  in  nrind  when  he  made  his 
prayer,  for  he  quotes  its  very  words  in  his  petition  :  ''iniquity,  trans- 
gression, and  sin."  It  is  a  great  advantage  to  the  petitioner  who 
conies  to  God  if  he  is  familiar  with  the  Word,  and  so  can  use  the 
very  arguments  with  which  God  thus  provides  him.  Moreover,  he 
had  much  experience  of  past  loving-kindnesses  and  tender  mercies. 
He  did  not  plead  that  he  had  not  sinned  before,  and  that  he  had  not 
in  the  past  taxed  the  divine  compassion  and  mercy ;  but,  in  fact, 
makes  the  past  mercies,  which  he  has  experienced  in  so  many  cases, 
the  very  ground  of  his  expectation  in  coming  to  God  again.  "Thou 
hast  so  often  forgiven  me  in  the  past,  that  I  am  the  more  bold  to 
come  to  thee  in  this  bitterest  time  of  need."  This  was  not  presump- 
tion, but  a  large  and  profoundly  reverend  apprehension  of  the  great- 
ness of  the  grace  of  God. 

1. — The  general  petition. —  "Have  mercy  upon  me."  He  did 
not  plead  right  or  merit ;  he  did  not  plead  a  mitigation  of  the  right- 
eous law  of  God.  He  knew  exactly  what  he  needed  and  wanted ;  and 
so,  like  the  publican,  he  sent  the  arrow  of  his  prayer  straight  to  the 
mark  of  his  need:  "Mercy,  mercy,  mercy."  This  is  the  sinner's 
need ;  this  must  be  the  sinner's  plea.  Mercy  is  the  unmerited  favor 
of  God  to  a  sinner.  It  is  not  mere  favor  and  compassion  ;  not  pity 
and  good- will;  but  it  is  the  favor  of  a  righteous  God,  who  has 
ground  for  anger  and  punishment,  and  yet  who  remits  penalties  and 
turns  aside  judgment  on  the  ground  of  a  propitiation  made  for  sin. 
God  is  not  unjust  in  forgiving  sin,  but  "faithful  and  just,"  (I. 
John  i,  9.)  The  mercy  of  God  to  sinners  flows  out  to  us  through 
the  bleeding  wounds  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  "died  for  our  sins,"  and 
"bore  them  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree." 

2. — The  specific  petition. — Sin  is  manifold,  and  needs  mercy 
variously  applied.  As  soon  as  David  began  to  look  his  sin  well  in 
the  face,  he  saw  that  it  was  a  complicated  matter.  He  speaks  of  it 
under  three  different  heads,  (i)  "My  iniquity."  Iniquity  is  prop- 
erly rebellion  :  that  act  of  the  will  which  deliberately  takes  itself  out 
of  God's  hands,  easts  off  his  government,  and  does  the  thing  that  is 
pleasing  to  itself  without  reference  to  the  will  or  law  of  God.  It  is  a 
declaration  of  spiritual  independence  of  God.  Sin  entered  the  world 
through  an  act  of  rebellion  on  the  part  of  our  first  parents.  Iniquity 
is  always  the  first  element  in  sin.  (ii)  "My  sin."  To  sin  is  to 
"miss  the  mark";  to  " come  short  of  the  glory  of  God."  God  has 
given  us  a  standard  of  righteousness  by  which  to  regulate  our  con- 
duct, and  if  in  our  lives  we  have  failed  to  conform  to  that  standard, 
we  have  sinned.     No  man,  therefore,  can  claim  life  on  the  ground 


138        THE  PRAYER  OF  THE  PENITENT. 

of  a  perfect  obedience,  because  all  have  sinned ;  all  have  missed  or 
failed  of  a  "perfect  score."  David  saw  in  his  recent  actions  a  lam- 
entable failure  to  fulfill  the  law  both  in  respect  of  God  and  man ; 
therefore  he  saw  that  he  had  brought  himself  under  a  fresh  condem- 
nation of  that  law.  (iii)  "  My  transgression."  Transgression  means 
to  cross  over  a  line.  It  is  an  advance  on  sin  in  this  :  that  sin  fails 
to  come  up  to  a  prescribed  line  of  conduct,  while  transgression  de- 
liberately crosses  over  a  line  of  prohibition.  In  three  particulars 
David  had  transgressed  the  law  of  God  :  "Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy 
neighbor's  wife."  He  had  done  that.  "Thou  shalt  not  commit 
adultery."  He  had  done  that.  "Thou  shalt  not  kill."  He  had 
done  that.  Here,  then,  was  his  sin  fairly  analyzed.  "I  am  a  rebel ; 
I  have  come  short ;  I  have  transgressed.  Now,  in  view  of  his  triple 
sin,  he  desires  from  God  three  things :  (a)  "Blot  out  my  transgres- 
sions." All  of  them;  the  covetousness ;  the  adultery;  the  murder. 
To  blot  out  carries  with  it  the  idea  primarily  of  forgiveness.  "I 
have  blotted  out  as  a  thick  cloud  thy  transgressions,  and  as  a  cloud 
thy  sin."  "I,  even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions 
for  mine  own  sake,  and  will  not  remember  thy  sins."  (Is.  xliii,  25 ; 
xliv,  22.)  (b)  "Wash  me  thoroughly  from  my  iniquity."  This  is  a 
prayer  for  justification,  as  the  former  petition  was  for  forgiveness. 
Forgiveness  is  an  act  of  the  gracious  and  sovereign  will  of  God ;  but 
to  justify  a  man  from  his  iniquity  is  to  do  so  on  the  ground  of  some 
expiation.  Hence  David's  allusion  to  the  ceremonial  law.  This 
reference  is  more  manifest  if  we  compare  it  with  verse  7  :  "Purge 
me  with  hyssop,  and  I  shall  be  clean ;  wash  me,  and  I  shall  be  whiter 
than  snow."  (Compare  Lev.  xiv,  4,  9;  Num.  xix,  18;  Heb.  ix,  22.) 
The  allusion  may  be  illuminated  if  we  remember  the  word  of  Isaiah 
to  sinful  Israel:  "Though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be 
white  as  snow ;  though  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall  be  as 
wool;  "  and  the  ascription  of  praise  to  the  Lord  Jesus  :  "Unto  him 
that  loved  us  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood."  (Is. 
i,  18 ;  Rev.  i,  5.)  (c)  "Cleanse  me  from  my  sin."  This  is  a  prayer 
for  sanctification.  To  be  forgiven  sets  us  right  with  God  personally ; 
to  be  justified,  sets  us  right  with  his  offended  and  outraged  law ;  to 
be  cleansed  or  sanctified,  sets  us  right  as  to  character.  Sin  is  an 
offense  against  God,  against  the  law,  and  it  leaves  a  stain  deep  and 
dark  on  our  souls.  God's  mercy  provides  for  this  also,  and  we  are 
assured  of  such  cleansing.  "  Sanctified  and  cleansed  with  the  wash- 
ing of  water  by  the  word,  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle,  .... 
but  wholly  and  without  blemish."  (Eph.  v,  25-27.)  Here  indeed  is 
mercy,  when  all  these  things  may  be  done  for  a  sinner,  and  that 


THE  CONFESSION.  139 

" thoroughly."  All  this  David  sought  in  his  prayer.  Nothing  short 
of  this  ought  to  satisfy,  or  will  satisfy,  a  soul  " thoroughly"  awak- 
ened to  a  sense  of  the  enormity  of  sin  and  its  consequences. 

II.— THE    CONFESSION. 

Petition  must  always  be  accompanied  with  confession.  David  was 
bold  in  his  petition,  but  no  less  thorough  in  his  confession.  He  did 
not  deal  with  God  on  account  of  his  sins  in  any  half-way  measures. 
He  wanted  all  that  God  could  do  for  him,  and  he  would  keep  back  noth- 
ing in  his  penitent  confession. 

1. — Frank  acknowledgment. — Until  a  sinner  is  deeply  convicted 
of  sin  he  will  always  palliate  it,  and  refuse  a  frank  acknowledgment. 
David  made  no  excuses,  offered  no  justification.  "I  have  sinned." 
That  is  the  long  and  the  short  of  it.  This  he  confesses  to  God,  when 
casting  himself  on  him  for  mercy.  Many  persons  will  acknowledge 
sin  to  men  who  will  not  confess  it  to  God.  But  not  so  this  penitent. 
Like  the  publican,  he  goes  straight  to  the  mark  and  says,  "God  be 
merciful  to  me  a  sinner."  That  he  was  a  child  of  God ;  that  he  had 
enjoyed  much  of  God's  favor ;  that  he  was  the  favored  and  great 
king  after  God's  own  choice  and  heart,  made  no  difference.  Sin  is 
sin,  in  whomsoever  it  is  found  and  under  whatsoever  circumstances 
it  is  committed.  "All  unrighteousness  is  sin."  Better  to  accept 
this  position  and  frankly  confess  it.  Moreover,  it  was  not  anybody 
else's  sin.  He  did  not  excuse  himself  on  the  ground  that  he  was 
tempted — as  possibly  he  was — by  the  actions  of  another.  He  did 
not  lay  the  blame  on  Bathsheba,  as  Adam  laid  his  on  Eve.  "It  is 
my  sin;  I  acknowledge  and  confess  it."  This  is  very  fine  and  true 
and  honest,  and  shows,  after  all,  that  David  was  a  true-hearted  man, 
though  he  was  a  sinner ;  and  no  doubt  God  was  as  pleased  with  this 
as  he  was  offended  with  the  sin. 

2. — A  standing  offense. — Until  the  sin  was  thoroughly  put  away 
it  was  ever  before  his  mind,  and  ever  on  his  conscience.  This  was 
not  the  case  when  he  wrote  the  psalm,  but  the  Words  express  the 
state  of  his  mind  at  the  time  of  the  transgression,  and  until  he  had 
been  entirely  restored  to  God.  Forgiven  sin  is  not  ever  before  the 
mind  of  the  forgiven  sinner ;  but  unf orgiven  sin  is  a  standing  offense 
to  a  true  Christian.  It  is  one  of  the  worst  possible  things  for  a 
Christian  to  allow  sin  to  fade  away  from  the  conscience  before  hav- 
ing it  purged  away  by  forgiveness.  It  was  a  sign  of  the  thorough- 
ness with  which  David  dealt  with  his  sin  that  he  kept  it  in  the  grip 
of  his  penitence  until  he  had  handed  it  over  to  God  for  its  removal. 


140        THE  PRAYER  OF  THE  PENITENT. 

When  sin  ceases  thus  to  be  an  offense  constantly  before  the  con- 
science of  the  transgressor,  the  soul  is  certainly  in  a  very  dangerous 
condition.  David  could  not  rest,  day  or  night,  with  this  hideous 
thing  confronting  him ;  nor  can  we,  if  we  have  any  right  apprehen- 
sion of  sin.  Unf orgiven  sin  is  before  us  and  before  God ;  but  for- 
given sin  is  cast  behind  God's  back,  and  is  among  the  things  upon 
which  we  also  may  turn  our  backs. 

3. — An  offense  against  God. — David  had  done  a  foul  wrong  to 
both  Bathsheba  and  her  husband,  who  was  his  devoted  friend  and 
loyal  servant ;  but  in  dealing  with  sin,  neither  Uriah  nor  his  wife 
were  taken  account  of.  Sin  is  against  God.  We  may  wrong  our 
fellow-man,  but  in  the  true  sense  of  it  we  can  only  sin  against  God. 
This  confession  was  a  sure  indication  that  David  rightly  understood 
his  relation  to  God  in  the  matter.  It  is  a  part  of  the  consequences 
of  an  alienated  mind  that  man  does  not  recognize  the  wrong  done 
to  God.  "God  is  not  in  all  his  thoughts,"  and  so  sin  is  not  consid- 
ered as  an  offense  against  him.  But  this  penitent  considered  that 
God  was  more  wronged  by  his  offense  even  than  man,  and  while  no 
doubt  he  sorrowed  that  he  had  wronged  his  friend  and  his  friend's 
wife,  he  most  bitterly  grieved  that  he  had  wronged  God  in  them. 
He  gives  an  explanation  of  this  declaration  when  he  says:  "That 
thou  mightest  be  justified  when  thou  speakest,  and  be  clear  when 
thou  judgest."  The  apostle  uses  this  expression  in  Rom.  iii,  4,  to 
establish  the  fact  of  the  righteousness  of  God  in  his  word  and  in  his 
judgment.  God  has  spoken  clearly  about  sin,  and  has  pronounced 
judgment  against  it.  David  had  accepted  both  the  word  and  the 
judgment  of  God  as  true,  and  now  acknowledges  that  sin  is  against 
God,  is  guilty,  and  deserves  punishment.  This  is  what  is  involved 
in  every  true  confession. 

4. — Deep  conviction. — "Behold  I  was  shapen  in  iniquity,  and  in 
sin  did  my  mother  conceive  me."  Considering  the  source  and  cause 
of  his  sin,  David  is  convinced  that  an  inherent  depravity  of  nature 
is  the  evil  root  from  which  all  sin  springs.  So  herein  he  confesses 
his  sinful  nature  as  well  as  his  sinful  deeds.  It  is  out  of  the  heart 
that  all  evil  proceeds.  He  lays  this  also  before  the  Lord  and  seeks 
deliverance  from  an  evil  nature  as  well  as  forgiveness  for  his  sins. 
Hence  his  further  prayer:  "Behold  thou  desirest  truth  in  the  in- 
ward parts ;  and  in  the  hidden  part,  thou  shalt  make  me  to  know 
wisdom."  In  this  we  have  a  strong  hint  of  regeneration.  The  na- 
ture that  is  spoiled  by  sin  must  be  renewed  inwardly.  Not  until  then 
will  a  man  turn  from  sin  with  loathing  and  hatred. 


RENEWED   PETITION.  141 


III.— RENEWED   PETITION. 


David  was  set  upon  thorough  work  with  himself,  and  desired 
above  all  things  that  this  bitter  experience  might  be  turned  to  ac- 
count by  binding  him  more  surely  to  God,  and  more  entirely  deep- 
ening his  spiritual  life.  He  had  plowed  over  the  field  once  ;  but  he 
is  not  content,  and  now  he  subsoils  his  heart  with  the  plow  of  re- 
pentance and  begins  to  plant  in  faith.  He  rises  in  his  petition  to 
grasp  the  blessings  of  faith  and  the  fruits  of  real  conversion  and  re- 
newal. He  repeats  his  prayer  for  purging  and  washing,  just  as 
oftentimes,  even  after  we  are  forgiven,  the  memory  of  the  bitter  sins 
still  remains,  and  we  are  in  some  doubt  whether  it  is  all  gone.  It  is 
like  the  burning  and  itching  of  a  wound  that  is  healed.  It  is  the 
sign  of  returning  health ;  the  desire  of  the  soul  for  an  after-bath  in 
the  cleansing  tide. 

1. — Joy  and  gladness. — Not  content  with  mere  forgiveness  and 
the  following  blessings,  he  longed  now  that  God  should  speak  some 
word  of  power  to  him  that  should  fill  his  soul  with  gladness.  God 
had  broken  his  bones  with  the  words  which  Nathan  had  spoken  to 
him.  (II.  Sam.  xii,  9-13.)  The  whole  framework  of  his  spiritual 
life  had  been  crushed.  Now  he  pleaded  that  with  forgiveness  might 
come  some  word  of  favor  and  love,  that  would  build  him  up  in  glad- 
ness as  the  word  of  condemnation  had  crushed  him.  Again,  as  he 
prays,  the  bitter  remembrance  of  his  sin  appears,  and  he  beseeches 
God  to  hide  his  face  from  them  and  to  blot  them  out ;  well  knowing 
that  until  God  had  made  an  end  of  them  there  could  be  no  joy  for 
him  any  more. 

2. — He  prays  for  a  new  heart. — With  his  longing  for  God's 
favor  there  arises  an  intense  desire  for  inward  holiness.  "  Create 
in  me  a  clean  heart  and  renew  a  right  spirit  within  me."  His  desire 
is  intense,  and  the  fear  of  not  being  heard  in  this,  and  the  awful  con- 
sequences of  being  left  to  himself,  lead  him  to  break  out  in  a  passion 
of  fresh  importunity.  "Cast  me  not  away  from  thy  presence,  and 
take  not  thy  Holy  Spirit  from  me."  How  dreadful  if  sin  should  be 
the  final  cause  of  thus  depriving  him  of  the  privilege  of  coming  into 
God's  presence  and  of  the  withdrawal  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  was 
just  beginning  more  fully  to  realize  how  completely  sin  cuts  a  soul 
off  from  God,  and  in  what  a  terrible  state  he  had  been,  before  he 
was  awakened  to  a  sense  of  his  awful  transgression  by  the  word  of 
God  in  judgment,  and  to  the  sweeter  knowledge  of  forgiveness  by 
the  prophet  of  the  merciful  Jehovah. 


142        THE  PRAYER  OF  THE  PENITENT. 

3. — Prays  for  the  restoration  of  salvation's  joy. — "Restore 
unto  me  the  joy  of  thy  salvation."  He  had  hitherto  sacrificed  the 
joy  of  salvation  for  the  pleasures  of  sin.  The  latter  he  now  re- 
nounced with  bitter  repentance,  and  pleaded  for  a  restoration  of  the 
former  state  of  salvation  with  its  pure  delights.  Who  can  tell  to 
another  what  is  the  joy  of  salvation?  The  joy  of  knowing  God  in 
personal  reconciled  relation ;  the  joy  of  knowing  that  all  sins  are 
"blotted  out ;  the  joy  of  knowing  that  the  law  which  condemns  has 
been  satisfied  by  the  atoning  love  of  Christ ;  the  joy  of  knowing  that 
God  is  working  in  our  souls  a  new  nature,  which  will  finally  conform 
us  to  the  image  of  Jesus  Christ ;  the  joy  of  heavenly  communion  and 
daily  walk  with  God ;  the  joy  and  delight  in  the  word  of  God  and  in 
prayer — all  these  things  enter  into  the  joy  of  salvation.  It  is  not 
until  they  are  lost,  and  the  bitter  dregs  of  the  draught  of  worldly 
pleasures  from  the  bottom  of  that  cup  are  tasted,  that  one  fully 
realizes  how  great  and  pure  they  were.  A  man  may  be  restored  to 
favor  and  recovered  from  backsliding,  and  yet  not  have  the  joy  of 
salvation.  That  is  not  so  easily  obtained ;  it  cannot  be  got  by  effort ; 
it  must  be  restored  by  God  himself.  David  goes  further,  and  begs 
to  be  upheld,  hereafter,  by  the  free  Spirit  of  God.  Or,  as  it  is  some- 
times read:  "Uphold  me,  O  thou  free  Spirit."  There  is  no  compul- 
sion laid  upon  the  Spirit  of  God.  He  is  free  to  uphold  a  soul. 
David  longed  that  his  free  and  loving  power  might  be  granted  to 
him,  that,  being  strengthened  with  might  in  his  inner  man,  he  might 
not  again  fall  into  the  depths  of  sin.  Such  a  prayer  will  never  be 
without  profit  to  any  one  of  us. 

4. — A  vow  of  consecration. — David  was  not  altogether  selfish. 
He  was  grateful  for  the  recovery  of  his  own  soul,  and  began  to  feel 
sympathy  and  longing  for  the  souls  of  other  transgressors.  He 
therefore  declares  that,  when  salvation's  joys  are  restored  to  him, 
being  fully  strengthened  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  he  will  make  it  his 
business  to  testify  the  grace  of  God  to  other  sinners.  He  does  not 
say  that  he  will  convert  sinners.  This  he  knew  he  could  not  do ; 
but  he  says  he  will  teach  sinners  the  ways  of  God ;  and  that  so  teach- 
ing, transgressors  shall  be  converted  to  God.  Nobody  is  so  well 
calculated  to  teach  sinners  God's  ways  as  a  man  who  has  himself 
been  saved,  and  especially  a  man  whose  life  is  filled  with  the  joy  of 
salvation.  A  rejoicing  believer  is  a  believer  who  has  power  over 
men.  A  rejoicing  Church  is  always  the  mother  of  many  children. 
Nor  is  there  any  better  way  to  maintain  spiritual  joy  and  cultivate 
spiritual  strength  than  by  teaching  sinners  the  ways  of  God. 


RENEWED   PETITION.  143 

Altogether  this  was  a  noble  prayer  and  beautiful  consecration  of 
the  penitent  king  and  the  restored  transgressor. 

And  let  us  remember  that,  by  reason  of  such  a  state  of  soul 
within  as  prompted  such  a  prayer,  notwithstanding  his  sore  misdo- 
ings, he  was  still  declared  to  be  a  man  after  God's  own  heart. 


May  8,  1892. 


XIX. 

DELIGHT    IN    GOD'S    HOUSE.— Psalm    Ixxxiv,    1-12. 

(1)  How  amiable  are  thy  tabernacles,  O  Lord  of  hosts  1  (2)  My  soul  longeth, 
yea,  even  fainteth  for  the  courts  of  the  Lord  :  my  heart  and  my  flesh  crieth  out  for 
the  living  God.  (3)  Yea,  the  sparrow  hath  found  a  house,  and  the  swallow  a  nest 
for  herself,  where  she  may  lay  her  young,  even  thine  altars,  O  Lord  of  hosts,  my 
King,  and  my  God.  (4)  Blessed  are  they  that  dwell  in  thy  house  :  they  will  be  still 
praising  thee.  Selah.  (?)  Blessed  is  the  man  whose  strength  is  in  thee  ;  in  whose 
heart  are  the  ways  of  them.  (6)  Who  passing  through  the  valley  of  Baca  make  it  a 
well ;  tbe  rain  also  filleth  the  pools.  (7)  They  go  from  strength  to  strength,  every 
one  of  them  in  Zion  appeareth  before  God.  (8)  O  Lord  God  of  hosts,  hear  my 
prayer :  give  ear,  O  God  of  Jacob.  Selah.  (9)  Behold,  O  God  our  shield,  and  look 
upon  the  face  of  thine  anointed.  (10)  For  a  day  in  thy  courts  is  better  than  a  thou- 
sand. I  had  rather  be  a  doorkeeper  in  the  house  of  my  God,  than  to  dwell  in  the 
tents  of  wickedness.  (11)  For  the  Lord  God  is  a  sun  and  shield  :  the  Lord  will  give 
grace  and  glory :  no  good  thing  will  he  withhold  from  them  that  walk  uprightly. 
(12)  O  Lord  of  hosts,  blessed  is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  thee  —Psalm  Ixxxiv,  1-12. 

The  authorship  of  this  and  eleven  other  psalms  is  ascribed  to  the 
sons  of  Korah.  There  are,  however,  two  ways  of  reading  the  in- 
scription:  Either  "for"  the  sons  of  Korah,  or  "of"  the  sons  of 
Korah.  Some  authorities  hold  that  this  and  the  other  Korahite 
psalms  were  simply  dedicated  or  directed  to  these  musical  sons  for 
their  use  in  the  worship  of  the  Temple,  but  were  in  fact  written  by 
David.  That  they  have  much  of  the  style,  both  in  their  subject  and 
structure,  of  the  Psalms  of  David,  there  is  no  doubt ;  but  it  does  not 
follow  that  they  were  written  by  the  king.  The  Korahites  were  a 
musical  family  descended  from  Levi,  who  had  charge  of  the  temple 
music.  There  is  no  reason  why  they  should  not  have  composed  the 
words  of  the  psalms  they  sang  as  well  as  the  music  to  which  they 
sang  them.  But  again  we  remark,  the  authorship  of  the  psalm  is  of 
the  least  importance ;  the  contents,  the  teaching,  of  the  poem  is  that 
which  we  are  anxious  to  get  at  and  profit  by.  One  characteristic  of 
the  Korahite  psalms  is  the  "longing  which  they  express  for  the  wor- 
ship of  God  in  the  Holy  City."  This  feature  is  the  leading  thought 
in  the  psalm  before  us.  There  is  no  evidence  that  the  psalm  was 
written  during  the  captivity,  or  expresses  the  desire  of  an  absent 
person  to  worship  in  the  Temple  of  God  at  Jerusalem.     Nothing  in 

144 


LONGING   FOli  GOD.  145 

the  psalm  is  necessarily  inconsistent  with  the  presence  of  the  wor- 
shiper in  the  Holy  City,  and  within  reach  of  the  temple.  Indeed, 
those  who  most  frequent  the  house  of  God  are  mostly  they  who  most 
love  it  and  long  for  its  worship.  So  we  think  of  the  writer  of  this 
psalm ;  he  was  a  frequenter  and  lover  of  God's  house,  and  found  a 
blessedness  in  dwelling  there. 

I.— LONGING  FOR  GOD. 

The  psalm  opens  with  an  inscription  of  praise  to  the  house  of 
God,  "How  amiable  are  thy  tabernacles."  The  meaning  of  the 
word  amiable  is  both  beloved  and  worthy  of  being  beloved.  The 
idea  is  that  to  love  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  to  have  a  rational  love 
for  a  thing  which  is  in  every  way  worthy  of  being  loved.  If  we  re- 
member that  the  true  tabernacle  of  God,  his  real  dwelling-place,  is 
Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  he  came  into  the  world  to  dwell  with  us,  the 
true  Immanuel,  then  we  can  all  understand  the  secret  of  the  spirit 
of  praise  that  inspired  the  writer  of  this  psalm.  For  he  is  "the  chief 
among  ten  thousand  and  altogether  lovely."  Tne  real  worshiper  is 
not  a  mere  fanatic ;  he  is  a  soul  that  is  able  to  give  a  reason  for  the 
hope  that  is  in  him.  "I  know  whom  I  have  trusted,2'  said  Paul. 
"I  love  the  Lord  because  he  hath  heard  my  voice  and  my  supplica- 
tion." True  worship  calls  out  all  the  intelligence  and  all  the  affec- 
tions of  the  worshiper.  The  tabernacle  was  the  place  where  God 
had  appointed  to  meet  his  people ;  there  on  the  Mercy  Seat  he  dwelt 
between  the  cherubim,  to  speak  forgiveness  and  blessing  to  them 
that  sought  him ;  and  as  none  ever  sought  the  Lord  in  vain,  those 
who  went  the  most  frequently  to  the  tabernacle  received  most  bless- 
ing, and  so  came  to  love  the  tabernacle  for  the  sake  of  God,  who 
dwelt  there,  and  the  blessings  there  received  from  his  hand.  He  is 
here  addressed  as  "Lord  of  Hosts,"  both  because  this  title  sets 
forth  both  his  Saviour's  name,  "Jehovah,"  and  the  grand  fact  of  his 
sovereignty.  God  is  the  true  source  of  all  love,  grace,  and  mercy  to 
the  sinner,  as  well  as  of  all  authority  and  power.  There  was  there- 
fore every  reason  for  this  sweet  singer  to  love  the  Lord. 

1. — Soul-hunger. — Here  is  a  man  on  the  highway  to  blessedness; 
for  has  not  the  Lord  said :  "Blessed  are  they  that  hunger  and  thirst 
after  righteousness."  "My  soul  longeth,  yea,  even  fainteth,  for  the 
courts  of  the  Lord."  There  is  not  only  a  great  desire  for  the  bless- 
ings found  in  the  courts  of  the  Lord ;  there  is  a  positive  need  of  these 
blessings.  Religion  is  not  a  mere  pleasure  to  tho  soul ;  it  is  the 
soul's  deepest  necessity.     A  man  in  good  health  enjoys  his  food,  and 


146  DELIGHT   IN  GOD'S  HOUSE. 

when  he  is  hungry,  he  desires  it ;  yet  not  only  is  there  a  desire,  but 
a  positive  fainting  of  the  body  if  the  food  is  withheld.  So  it  is  with 
the  soul  of  man  that  has  been  brought  from  death  unto  life.  The 
sinner  who  is  yet  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  does  not  hunger,  faint, 
and  long  for  God.  He  lives  without  God.  Natural  life  is  independ- 
ent of  God  in  this  sense.  If  the  body  is  well  fed,  if  the  outward 
man  is  provided  with  all  its  necessities,  there  is  at  least  carnal  sat- 
isfaction and  contentment.  But  -once  the  soul  is  quickened,  it  must 
have  " bread  to  eat  that  the  world  knows  not  of."  The  "heart  and 
flesh  cries  out  for  the  living  God."  It  is  not  merely  the  "Courts  of 
the  Lord,"  but  it  is  the  Living  God  himself  whom  the  soul  wants. 
Merely  frequenting  the  house  of  the  Lord  and  going  through  certain 
acts  of  worship,  listening  to  fine  music,  hearing  eloquent  sermons, 
bathing  one's  self  in  the  dim  religious  light  of  a  cathedral,  does  not 
meet  the  needs  of  a  hungry  and  fainting  soul.  It  may  satisfy  a  mere 
formalist ;  but  the  living  soul  must  have  the  Living  God.  Life  is 
the  characteristic  of  true  Christianity ;  and  hunger  and  thirst  are 
sure  signs  of  vigorous  health. 

2. — God's  altars. — The  psalmist  had  often  seen  the  little  spar- 
rows flitting  about  the  temple,  and  even  building  their  nests  in  the 
eaves  of  the  house,  wherein  to  lay  and  nestle  her  young.  He 
thought  how  happy  it  would  be  for  himself  to  have  a  home  in  such  a 
place.  And  yet  we  must  not  suppose  that  his  idea  was  a  mere  sensu- 
ous and  literal  thought.  I  suppose  the  meaning  of  this  beautiful 
passage  is  something  like  this :  "As  the  sparrow  has  found  a  house, 
and  the  swallow  a  nest  for  herself  about  the  temple  of  God,  so 
would  I  fain  build  a  house  for  myself,  and  rear  my  children,  even 
about  the  very  altars  of  God."  He  passes  from  the  idea  of  an  occa- 
sional visit  to  the  tabernacle  for  frequent  refreshment,  to  that  of 
perpetual  dwelling  there  in  God's  house.  He  would  fain  dwell  in  the 
house  of  the  Lord  forever.  It  is  the  sama»thought  with  which  David 
concludes  the  twenty  third  psalm.  The  Prodigal  Son  thought  of  his 
father's  house,  of  the  "bread  enough  and  to  spare"  to  be  found 
there,  and  he  fain  would  have  the  bread  and  a  dwelling-place  there, 
even  though  as  an  hired  servant.  The  altars  of  God  are  suggestive 
of  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  of  communion,  and  protection.  For  there 
were  the  various  sacrifices  made  which  brought  the  soul  into  com- 
munion with  God,  through  the  burnt  offerings,  the  meat  offering, 
the  peace  offering,  and  the  sin  and  trespass  offering ;  there  the  man 
who  was  fleeing  for  his  life  might  ever  find  a  place  of  safety  and 
refuge. 

Having  expressed  this  desire,  he  ascribes  two  other  titles  to  the 


THE   BLESSED  MAN  IS  A  BLESSING.  147 

Lord:  "My  King  and  my  God."  He  who  would  call  God  his  King 
must  yield  himself  to  God  by  faith,  as  well  as  do  homage  to  him ; 
then  will  he  be  taken  into  his  family  and  given  a  place  in  his  house. 
3. — The  blessings  of  God's  house. — It  is  quite  true  that  God  has 
no  dwellers  in  his  house,  no  members  of  his  family  who  are  not  his 
servants ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  true  religion  is  not  a  mere  cling- 
ing to  God  for  life  and  subjection  for  service.  To  dwell  in  God's 
house  is  to  be  filled  with  all  blessings.  "O,  blessed  dwelling!  In 
God's  house  everything  will  be  granted  to  the  soul,  and  nothing  be 
asked  of  it  in  return  but  the  praise  of  him."  Yet  this  is  no  bargain. 
These  blessings  and  the  answering  praise,  which  leads  on  to  the 
truest  service,  are  the  natural  and  necessary  complements  of  each 
other.  "  The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  not  meat  and  drink  (alone),  but 
righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  When  Jesus 
went  up  into  the  temple  and  was  found  there  by  his  parents,  he  jus- 
tified his  stay  by  saying:  "Wist  ye  not  that  I  must  be  about  my 
Father's  business?" 

II.— THE   BLESSED  MAN  IS  A  BLESSING. 

It  is  a  peculiarity  of  the  construction  in  this  psalm  that  each  suc- 
cessive strophe  begins  with  the  thought  with  which  the  last  one 
ended,  only  carrying  it  farther  on.  The  psalmist  now  raises  his 
thought  from  that  of  being  blessed  in  God's  house  to  that  of  being  a 
blessing  to  others.  It  reminds  us  of  the  teaching  of  Jesus  in  connec- 
tion with  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit:  "If  any  man  thirst  let  him 
come  unto  me  and  drink.  He  that  believeth  on  me,  as  the  Scripture 
hath  said,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water."  (John 
vii,  37,  38.) 

1. — The  blessed  man  described. — This  description  is  of  a  two- 
fold character,  (i)  "Blessed  is  the  man  whose  strength  is  in  thee." 
To  be  of  help  to  others  we  must  be  strong ;  but  it  is  not  natural 
strength  that  blesses  a  man.  "  When  I  am  weak,  then  am  I  strong." 
The  man  who  has  changed  his  natural  strength  for  God's  strength, 
even  though  he  be  a  mere  weakling  in  himself,  has  all  the  power  of 
God  as  his  resource.  "Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing."  So  said 
Jesus  to  his  disciples.  "I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  which 
strengthened  me,"  said  Paul.  The  Lord  becomes  the  righteousness 
and  strength  of  the  man  who  puts  his  trust  in  him.  "Finally,  my 
brethren,  be  strong  in  the  Lord  and  in  the  power  of  his  might." 
(Eph.  vi,  10.)  (ii)  "In  whose  heart  are  the  ways  of  them."  This 
clause,  as  it  stands  in  our  authorized  version,  is  rather  blind  and  un- 


148  DELIGHT   IN  GOD'S  HOUSE. 

intelligible.  It  most  probably  means  :  "  In  whose  heart  are  the  high- 
ways of  the  Lord."  Here  again  we  have  the  idea  of  a  channel 
through  which  the  "rivers  of  water"  flow  to  others.  Not  that  the 
true  servant  of  God  is  a  mere  dead  channel,  serving  only  as  a  pair 
of  river  banks;  but  he  is  active  in  the  discharge  of  the  blessed 
waters.  His  will  and  desire,  all  his  powers  and  purposes  are  so  sur- 
rendered to  God,  that  God  can  use  him  in  blessing  others.  "  For  me 
to  live  is  Christ,"  said  Paul.  That  is  :  "I  live  by  and  in  Christ,  and 
I  live  only  that  I  may  show  forth  his  virtues  to  others,  to  the  end 
that  they  also  may  live  in  him." 

2. — How  the  blessed  man  becomes  a  blessing. —  "Who  passing 
through  the  valley  of  Baca  make  it  a  well ;  the  rain  also  filleth  the 
pools."  This  again  is  a  blind  passage,  as  it  stands  in  our  authorized 
version.  But  it  is  both  simple  and  beautiful  in  thought.  The  valley 
of  Baca  was  an  arid  desert,  in  which  there  were  no  water  springs. 
In  order  that  the  pilgrims,  who  had  to  pass  over  it,  might  not  fam- 
ish, pools  were  built  in  which  to  catch  and  hold  water,  during  the 
rains.  But  there  were  long  seasons  of  drought,  in  which  no  rain 
fell,  and  the  pools  became  dry.  The  valley  then  became  a  place  of 
death — a  place  of  tears  and  distress.  Such,  indeed,  is  this  world. 
No  natural  fountains  are  here ;  and  the  world  has  forsaken  God, 
' '  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  and  hewed  them  out  cisterns,  broken 
cisterns,  that  can  hold  no  water."  (Jer.  ii,  13.)  What  then  shall 
keep  this  lost  world  from  tears  and  death,  if  some  means  are  not 
provided  for  their  salvation?  God  has  ordained  that  his  people, 
especially  those  who  themselves  have  been  filled  and  refreshed  by 
his  own  blessed  life,  by  dwelling  in  his  house,  shall  be  the  means  of 
saving  the  world.  The  blessed  man,  whose  strength  is  in  the  Lord, 
who  has  given  himself  up  to  be  the  active  channel  of  his  grace,  pass- 
ing through  this  world's  arid  desert,  shall  bless  it  as  man  would  who 
should  sink  wells  in  a  desert,  and  fill  up  the  empty  pools  as  with 
rain.  What  a  blessed  mission  is  this ;  what  a  glorious  privilege ! 
Therefore  did  Jesus,  when  about  to  depart  for  heaven,  meet  his  dis- 
ciples and  say  unto  them  :  "Peace  be  unto  you :  as  my  Father  hath 
sent  me,  even  so  send  I  you.  And  when  he  had  said  this,  he 
breathed  on  them,  and  said  unto  them,  Eeceive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost." 
(John  xx,  21,  22.)  This,  then,  is  the  mission  of  the  true  Christian; 
to  go  through  this  vale  of  tears,  dig  wells  and  fill  up  pools  with 
water,  that  the  perishing  may  drink  and  live. 

3. — Reflex  blessings. — Here  are  two  added  blessings,  which 
come  to  the  man  who  makes  himself  a  blessing  to  others.  "The 
liberal  soul  shall  be  made  fat :  and  he  that  watereth  shall  be  watered 


THE  BLESSINGS   OF   SALVATION.  149 

also  himself."  (Prov.  xi,  25.)  Let  us  see  how.  (i)  "  They  go  from 
strength  to  strength."  Every  grace  in  us  is  increased  by  the  use  of 
it,  The  mere  ascetic  shrivels  up  into  a  starveling ;  he  consumes  his 
grace  upon  himself  without  opening  his  life  to  receive  more  strength. 
"But  they  that  wait  on  the  Lord  (to  get  blessing  and  use  it)  shall 
renew  their  strength;  they  shall  mount  up  on  wings  as  eagles;  they 
shall  run  and  not  be  weary,  and  they  shall  walk  and  not  faint."  (Is. 
xl,  29-31.)  (ii)  "Everyone  of  them  in  Zion  appeareth  before  God." 
Now  the  mere  blessing  of  salvation  in  this  life  is  unspeakably  pre- 
cious ;  but  they  that  dwell  in  God's  house,  they  that  identify  them- 
selves with  God  for  salvation  and  service,  and  then  consecrate 
themselves  for  the  ministry  of  grace  to  others,  shall  in  the  end  ap- 
pear before  God  in  person  and  in  glory,  and  so  appearing,  shall 
receive  the  blessed  rewards  of  grace,  and  hear  from  the  Master's 
own  gracious  lips  the  words  of  welcome:  "Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servant,  ....  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord."  (Matt. 
xxv,  23.)  To  such,  when  the  Chief  Shepherd  shall  appear,  will  be 
given  a  crown  of  Glory. 

4. — The  prayer  of  the  blessed  man. — With  this  prospect  before 
him,  the  man,  whose  longing  heart  went  out  toward  God  in  the  first 
instance,  now  goes  out  to  him  in  a  fresh  prayer,  in  which  he  embod- 
ies a  new  petition  with  the  old  one  :  "  O  Lord  God  of  Hosts,  hear  my 
prayer;  Give  ear,  O  God  of  Jacob."  Let  me  dwell  in  thy  house,  and 
build  my  nest  about  thine  altars,  let  my  heart  be  a  highway  for  thee, 
let  me  be  a  blessing  to  others,  and  so  let  my  strength  be  increased 
that  I  may  come  into  thy  presence  at  last  and  receive  thy  gracious 
commendation,  and  enter  with  thee  into  the  joy  which  animated  thee 
in  thy  blessed  ministry  of  salvation  to  a  lost  world.  The  appeal  to 
the  God  of  Jacob  is  significant  as  being  in  harmony  with  that  mag- 
nificent prayer  of  the  most  distinguished  son  of  Korah,  Asaph,  as 
recorded  in  the  eightieth  psalm,  where  the  strength  of  the  Lord  God 
of  Hosts  is  implored,  that  it  may  be  stirred  up  to  the  salvation  of 
Israel. 

in.— THE   BLESSINGS   OF   SALVATION. 

The  third  strophe  of  this  song  opens  with  an  invocation  to  God 
as  the  Shield  of  him  who  trusts  in  him,  and  an  appeal  to  him  to  look 
upon  the  face  of  his  Anointed.  When  a  man  is  fully  surrendered  to 
God  and  resigns  all  care  of  himself,  he  appeals  to  God  both  to  pro- 
tect him  and  to  guarantee  to  him  all  the  blessings  covenanted  in 
Christ.  The  address  to  God  as  "my  Shield"  brings  vividly  before 
our  minds  what  God  before  had  said  to  Abraham 


150  DELIGHT   IN   GOD'S  HOUSE. 

ham;  I  am  thy  shield  and  thy  exceeding  great  reward."  (Gen.  xv, 
1.)  Protection  and  supply  are  guaranteed  in  this  promise;  both  of 
which  thoughts  are  reproduced  in  our  psalm.  Also  we  are  reminded 
of  the  concluding  words  of  Moses'  benediction  upon  Israel :  "Happy 
art  thou,  O  Israel :  who  is  like  unto  thee,  O  people,  saved  by  the 
Lord,  the  shield  of  thy  help,  who  is  the  sword  of  thy  excellency. 
And  thy  enemies  shall  be  found  liars  unto  thee,  and  thou  shalt  tread 
upon  their  high  places."  (Deut.  xxxiii,  29.)  And  again  of  the 
words  of  one  of  the  later  prophets  :  "In  that  day  shall  the  Lord  de- 
fend the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem :  and  he  that  is  feeble  among 
them  at  that  day  shall  be  as  David :  and  the  house  of  David  shall  be 
as  God,  and  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  before  them."  (Zech.  xii,  8.) 
God  is  the  complete  protection  of  his  saints.  He  is  the  whole  armor 
with  which  we  clothe  ourselves.  When  the  psalmist  calls  on  God  to 
look  on  the  face  of  his  Anointed,  it  is  the  same  as  if  he  had  said  in 
our  language  :  "  Remember  all  the  covenanted  promises  confirmed  in 
Jesus  Christ :  look  upon  him,  and  then  remember  me  for  his  sake." 

1. — Complete  satisfaction. — Sometimes  the  unbelieving  world 
looks  with  pity  upon  the  Christian  who  has  turned  his  back  upon 
all  the  carnal  pleasures  of  the  world ;  but  the  answer  of  the  man  who 
has  found  satisfaction  in  God  and  in  his  service  is  simple  and  em- 
phatic, (i)  "A  day  in  thy  courts  is  better  than  a  thousand."  That 
is,  one  day  in  communion  with  God  affords  more  real  satisfaction  to 
the  soul  than  a  thousand  days  filled  up  with  this  world's  pleasure. 
This  is  the  testimony  of  every  truly  converted  soul  who  maintains 
communion  with  and  is  consecrated  to  the  service  of  God.  (ii)  "I 
would  rather  be  a  door-keeper  in  the  house  of  my  God  than  to  dwell 
in  the  tents  of  wickedness."  The  idea  of  a  door-keeper,  though  that 
be  a  sufficiently  lowly  position,  is  not  really  in  the  text.  The  thought 
is,  "I  would  rather  be  the  very  least  of  the  servants  of  God,  one  who 
lies  on  a  mat  at  the  door  of  his  house,  than  to  be  a  dweller  in  the 
house  of  the  wicked."  I  have  a  native  servant  with  me  out  here  in 
India.  He  sleeps  on  a  mat  at  my  door,  and  is  ready  at  all  times, 
day  and  night,  to  spring  up  to  do  my  least  bidding.  When  I  asked 
him,  after  engaging  him,  where  he  would  sleep,  he  replied,  "I  will 
sleep  at  master's  door,  and  when  he  wants  me  he  will  just  call  out." 
There  he  is  all  day  and  night,  and  it  is  literally  true  that  he  is  ready 
to  do  my  least  bidding,  and  seems  happy  in  the  doing  of  it.  To  be 
such  a  privileged  servant  of  God  is  better  than  to  be  like  Dives  in 
the  midst  of  all  his  feasting  and  reveling. 

2. — Every  need  supplied. — "The  Lord  God  is  a  sun  and  a 
shield ;  the  Lord  will  give  grace  and  glory :  No  good  thing  will  he 


THE   BLESSINGS   OF   SALVATION.  151 

withhold  from  them  that  walk  uprightly."  Protection  from  all  evil, 
and  every  needful  thing  he  will  supply  out  of  his  energetic  goodness, 
as  the  sim  causes  the  earth  to  be  fruitful  with  every  good  thing  by 
the  power  of  his  rays.  Chief  among  these  things  is  "  grace  "  for  the 
time  being,  and  "glory  "  for  the  time  to  come.  What  can  man  want 
more?  Grace  on  earth  and  glory  in  heaven.  These  two  things 
guaranteed,  no  good  thing  will  be  withheld ;  for  these  which  are  the 
greater,  comprehend  and  include  all  lesser  blessings.  This  expres- 
sion reminds  us  of  what  Paul  said  of  God :  "He  that  spared  not  his 
own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him 
freely  give  us  all  things."  (Rom.  viii,  32.)  The  general  condition 
and  qualification  of  this  assurance  is  that  we  shall  walk  uprightly. 
Grace  and  glory  are  not  gifts  that  come  to  the  careless  and  antino- 
mian  believer,  but  to  the  man  who  has  given  himself  to  the  "paths  of 
righteousness."  Let  not  the  man  who  walketh  after  the  flesh  pre- 
sume to  claim  the  unspeakable  blessings  of  this  blessed  man ;  on  the 
other  hand,  let  no  humble  soul,  who  is  hungering  and  thirsting  after 
God,  and  seeking  him  by  all  the  means  of  grace  which  God  has  put 
in  his  way,  despair  of  obtaining  every  blessing  described  in  this 
psalm,  because  in  himself  he  finds  nothing  but  unworthiness  and 
weakness. 

3. — A  final  beatitude. — The  psalm  closes  with  an  outburst  of  be- 
atitude. Every  strophe  of  the  psalm  closes  with  such  a  beatitude. 
Thrice  blessed  is  the  man,  then,  who  hungers  and  thirsts  after  God, 
who  faints  and  longs  for  the  courts  of  God's  house  ;  who  surrenders  his 
life  to  him  for  service  and  testimony,  and  walks  uprightly  before  him 
amid  the  crooked  and  perverse  generations  of  this  world.  "Blessed 
is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  thee."  May  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  the  God 
of  Jacob,  our  King  and  our  God,  fulfill  all  his  goodness  to  us  in  these 
things,  by  creating  in  us  a  longing  thirst  and  desire,  which  shall  be 
converted  into  prayer,  and  trust  and  real  possession. 


May  15,  1893. 


XX. 

A   SONG    OF    PRAISE.— Psalm    ciii,    1-22. 

(1)  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul:  and  all  that  is  within  me,  bless  his  holy  name. 
(2)  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  forget  not  nil  his  benefits  :  (3)  Who  forgiveth 
all  thine  iniquities  ;  who  healeth  all  thy  diseases  ;  (4)  Who  redeemeth  thy  life  from 
destruction  ;  who  crowneth  thee  with  lovingkindness  and  tender  mercies ;  (5)  Who 
satisfieth  thy  mouth  with  good  things;  so  that  thy  youth  is  renewed  like  the  eagle's, 
(o)  The  Lord  executeth  righteousness  and  judgment  for  all  that  are  oppressed.  (7)  He 
made  known  his  ways  unto  Moses,  his  acts  unto  the  children  of  Israel.  (8)  The  Lord 
is  merciful  and  gracious,  slow  to  anger,  and  plenteous  in  mercy.  (9)  He  will  not 
always  chide  :  neither  will  he  keep  his  anger  for  ever.  (10)  He  hath  not  dealt  with 
us  after  our  sins ;  nor  rewarded  us  according  to  our  iniquities.  (IT)  For  as  the 
heaven  is  high  above  the  earth,  so  great  is  his  mercy  toward  them  that  fear  him. 
(12)  As  far  as  the  east  is  from  the  west,  so  far  hath  he  removed  our  transgressions 
from  us.  (13)  Like  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children,  so  the  Lord  pitieth  them  that 
fear  him.    (14)  For  he  knoweth  our  frame  ;  he  remembereth  that  we  are  dust. 

(15)  As  for  man,  his  days  are  as  grass  :  as  a  flower  of  the  field,  so  he  llourisheth. 

(16)  For  the  wind  passeth  over  it,  and  it  is  gone  ;  and  the  place  thereof  shall  know 
it  no  more.  (17)  But  the  mercy  of  the  Lord  is  from  everlasting  to  everlasting  upon 
them  that  fear  him,  and  his  righteousness  unto  children's  children;  (18)  To  such  as 
keep  his  covenant,  and  to  those  that  remember  his  commandments  to  do  them. 
(19)  The  Lord  hath  prepared  his  throne  in  the  heavens  ;  and  his  kingdom  ruleth 
over  all.  (2C)  Bless  the  Lord,  ye  his  angels,  that  excel  in  strength,  that  do  his  com- 
mandments, hearkening  unto  the  voice  of  his  word.  (21)  Bless  ye  the  Lord,  all  ye 
his  hosts  ;  ye  ministers  of  his,  that  do  his  pleasure.  (22)  Bless  the  Lord,  all  his 
works  in  all  places  of  his  dominion  :  bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul.— Psalm  ciii,  1-22. 

This  is  a  song  of  David,  in  which  he  pours  out  his  soul  in  grate- 
ful thanksgiving  to  God  for  the  multiplied  and  continuous  blessings 
personally  bestowed  on  him ;  blessings  chiefly  spiritual,  but  also 
temporal ;  but  always  bountfully  and  continuously  poured  forth  upon 
him.  He  is  also  grateful  for  similar  blessings  bestowed  on  Israel  at 
large.  He  points  out  the  source  of  these  blessings,  and  calls  on  the 
whole  intelligent  world  to  join  with  him  in  thanksgiving  to  God. 
Nothing  is  so  common,  nothing  so  liberally  and  continuously  be- 
stowed as  the  daily  benefits  of  God  to  us,  and  to  the  whole  world ; 
on  the  other  hand,  nothing  is  so  uncommon  as  gratitude  for  these 
mercies.  It  has  been  said  that  ingratitude  is  the  commonest  sin  of 
mankind.  It  would  seem  that  the  more  bountifully  God's  benefits 
are  heaped  upon  us  during  this  brief  life  of  ours,  in  which  our  need 

152 


THANKSGIVING  FOR  PERSONAL  BENEFITS.  153 

is  constant  as  our  breath,  the  more  forgetful  we  are  of  the  source  of 
them  all.  This  makes  our  ingratitude  all  the  more  inexcusable. 
David  at  least  will  not  forget  God's  benefits,  nor,  if  he  can  help  it, 
will  he  suffer  us  to  forget  them.  We  should  ever  be  as  ready  and  as 
speedy  with  our  thanks  as  God  is  constant  in  supplying  our  need. 

I.— THANKSGIVING   FOR  PERSONAL  BENEFITS. 

This  sweetly-flowing  psalm  begins  with  an  appeal  to  his  soul  to 
bless  the  Lord.  The  soul  here  is  to  be  understood  as  covering  the 
whole  intelligent  man.  It  is  the  seat  of  all  the  faculties,  intel- 
ligence, memory,  reason,  and  will.  It  is  also  the  home  of  the  affec- 
tions, in  the  highest  sense  of  that  word.  With  David  the  term  com- 
prehended the  spiritual  pare  of  man  as  well,  for  he  does  not  seem  to 
have  made  Paul's  threefold  distinction  of  man,  "  spirit,  soul,  and 
body."  Lest  any  part  of  him  should  forget  or  fail  to  join  in  this 
song  of  thanksgiving,  he  calls  upon  all  that  is  within  him  to  bless 
the  holy  name  of  God.  The  reference  to  these  inward  powers  is  sug- 
gestive of  the  pipes  of  an  organ.  That  is,  he  opens  every  stop  of  the 
instrument  of  praise,  and  would  sing  his  thanksgiving  to  God  accom- 
panied by  the  full  organ.  Wishing  the  holy  name  of  God  to  be  fully 
praised,  he  desires  that  not  one  of  the  benefits  conferred  on  him 
should  be  forgotten.  Not  only  will  he  have  the  full  sum  of  them  re- 
membered, but  he  would  not  have  one  of  them,  even  in  detail,  for- 
gotten. What  a  theme  of  thanksgiving  we  have  in  thus  singing  of 
the  holy  name  of  God  and  of  all  his  benefits  !  Who  can  exhaust  the 
name  of  God,  calling  up,  one  after  another,  all  his  attributes  and  all 
the  manifestations  of  his  goodness  and  grace  to  the  children  of  men  ? 
Who  can  enumerate  the  sum  of  all  his  promises,  or  tell  the  tale  of 
all  his  blessings? 

1. — Thanks  for  forgiveness  and  inward  healing. — It  is  clear 
that,  while  bodily  blessings  are  included  in  his  thanksgiving,  the 
mind  and  heart  of  the  grateful  psalmist  is  dwelling  more  especially 
on  the  inward  and  spiritual  blessings  which  he  has  received  from 
God.  The  first  of  these  is  the  forgiveness  of  his  sins, — a  common 
theme  of  praise  to  all  the  ransomed  race.  He  was  thankful  that  for- 
giveness not  only  covered  the  great  transgression  of  his  life,  but  all 
his  iniquities.  The  fountain  which  God  has  opened  for  sinners  is 
for  all  sin  and  uncleanness, — sins  which  are  for  depth  of  iniquity  red 
as  crimson,  sins  which  are  as  the  sands  of  the  sea  for  multitude. 
But  forgiveness  is  not  the  only  benefit  that  had  come  to  him,  and 
that  has  come  to  us.     "Who  healeth  all  thy  diseases."     Iniquities, 


154  A   SONG   OF   PRAISE. 

the  outward  sins  of  our  life,  proceed  from  depravity,  the  inward  dis- 
ease of  our  nature.  The  salvation  of  our  God  takes  account  of  both, 
and,  while  he  forgives  our  iniquities,  he  also  heals  by  a  new  birth 
our  spiritual  diseases.  The  heart  that  is  "  deceitful  above  all  things 
and  desperately  wicked,"  conies  under  his  divine  treatment,  and  is 
healed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  washing  of  regeneration. 

2. — Thanks  for  redemption  and  glory. — God  does  not  simply 
redeem  us  from  destruction ;  but  he  adds  to  this  by  crowning  the  re- 
deemed life  with  glory.  "Who  redeemeth  thy  life  from  destruc- 
tion ;  who  crowneth  thee  with  loving-kindness  and  tender  mercies." 
Those  who  only  think  of  God's  redemption  as  a  plan  and  work  for 
saving  them  from  hell,  the  destruction  that  waits  upon  all  men  who 
are  living  in  sin,  have  but  half  a  conception  of  the  grand  purpose  of 
his  grace.  He  redeems  us  from  destruction  that  he  may  crown  us 
with  glory.  He  purges  us  from  sin  that  he  may  clothe  us  with  the 
robe  of  righteousness.  He  takes  us  from  the  dung-hill  that  he  may 
set  us  with  princes.  I  think  the  soul  rises  to  its  best  appreciation 
of  what  God  has  done,  and  is  still  doing,  for  us  according  to  his  pur- 
pose of  grace,  when  it  thinks  on  this,  that  the  Christian  is  being 
changed  into  the  image  of  Christ.  There  is  satisfaction  in  the 
thought  that  we  have  been  delivered  from  destruction  ;  there  is  glory 
in  the  anticipation  of  awaking  in  his  likeness.  "We  shall  be  like 
him,"  is  a  certain  hope  which  has  ever  awakened  the  praise  of  his 
people.  The  crown  of  loving-kindness  and  tender  mercies,  which 
comes  to  the  soul  during  its  pilgrimage  from  earth  to  heaven,  is  but 
the  pledge  and  guarantee  of  the  crown  of  life  which  awaits  us  in 
glory  at  the  journey's  end.  What  could  be  more  expressive  of  the 
attitude  of  God  toward  sinners  than  these  sweet  expressions  :  "lov- 
ing-kindness" and  "tender  mercies."  They  are  favorite  words  with 
David.  (Ps.  li,  1.)  To  him  God  was  no  austere  and  hard  Sovereign, 
only  and  always  watching  to  find  an  occasion  against  him ;  but  a 
gentle,  a  divinely  patient  and  loving  God,  ever  on  the  watch  to  be- 
stow his  grace.  God's  gifts  are  doubled  in  their  value  by  reason  of 
the  tender  mercies  which  always  wrap  them  round. 

3. — Thanks  for  intermediate  blessings. — "Who  satisfieth  thy 
mouth  with  good  things,  so  that  thy  youth  is  renewed  like  the 
eagle's."  There  is  a  great  spiritual  distance  between  forgiveness 
and  regeneration  at  the  beginning  of  salvation,  and  sanctification 
and  glory  at  its  end.  There  is  a  long  journey  from  the  mouth  of  the 
pit  of  destruction,  whence  God  has  rescued  us,  to  the  gate  of  glory 
by  which  God  will  bring  us  in  to  receive  our  everlasting  inheritance. 
On  that  way  we  are  not  left  to  our  own  resources.     He  gives  us  the 


PRAISE   TO   THE   CHARACTER   OF   GOD.  155 

supplies  needful  for  the  journey,  and  ministers  the  strength  with 
which  we  may  reach  the  end.  "The  Lord  shall  guide  thee  contin- 
ually, and  satisfy  thy  soul  in  drought,  and  make  fat  thy  bones ;  and 
^thou  shalt  be  like  a  watered  garden  and  like  a  spring  of  water,  whose 
waters  fail  not."  (Is.  lviii,  11.)  The  Lord  never  does  anything  by 
halves.  He  does  not  give  us  the  mere  necessities  of  life,  but  he 
"filleth  our  mouth  with  good  things."  Choice  dainties  as  well  as 
essential  food.  Nor  does  he  minister  strength  in  any  ordinary  way : 
"he  reneweth  our  strength  like  the  eagle's."  The  progress  of  the 
Christian  who  is  living  in  full  communion  with  God  is  like  that  of  an 
unwearied  eagle  in  the  sky,  rather  than  that  of  a  jaded  and  worn 
pilgrim  on  the  earth.  The  outward  man  may  seem  to  be  faint  and 
perishing,  but  the  inward  man  is  renewed  day  by  day,  being 
strengthened  by  might  with  his  spirit.    (II.  Cor.  iv,  16 ;  Eph.  iii,  16. ) 

H.— PRAISE   TO   THE   CHARACTER   OF  GOD. 

In  the  opening  of  his  song  the  psalmist  called  up  his  soul  to 
bless  or  praise  the  holy  name  of  God.  In  enumerating  some  of  the 
benefits  which  he  had  received,  he  has  not  forgotten  that  they  all 
proceed  from  the  God  whose  character  is  worthy  of  every  song  of 
praise.  He  now  briefly  sketches  that  character,  and  at  the  same 
time  calls  to  remembrance  that  he  is  not  alone  the  favored  recipient 
of  his  gracious  benefits,  but  that  all  Israel  has  also  been  blessed  with 
similar  bounties. 

1. — The  righteousness  and  judgment  of  the  Lord. — It  must  not 
be  supposed  that  the  benefits  which  God  bestows  upon  the  sinners 
of  Adam's  race  are  mere  gifts  of  good  nature,  as  those  with  which 
an  over-indulgent  father  spoils  his  children.  There  is  a  principle  of 
righteousness  upon  which  he  acts  throughout.  It  is  not  that  he  ex- 
cuses sin  or  makes  light  of  it,  passing  it  by  without  notice  or  care. 
Sin  is  the  awful  problem  of  the  universe.  It  must  be  dealt  with  and 
disposed  of.  God  must  be  just  before  he  can  justify  the  ungodly. 
(Rom.  iii,  22-26. )  He  cannot  deal  with  us  in  righteousness  for  our 
sins  without  delivering  us  to  destruction ;  therefore  he  had  to  deal 
with  Christ  "our  righteousness"  for  our  sins,  that  he  might  redeem 
us  from  destruction.  It  is  only  when  the  soul  comes  to  know  how 
firm  and  inflexible  is  the  righteousness  of  God,  that  it  can  appreciate 
the  greatness  of  the  benefits  of  grace,  flowing  to  us  through  the 
righteousness  of  Christ,  who  himself  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body 
on  the  tree.  The  Lord  hath  showed  us  mercy  and  grace  by  "exe- 
cuting righteousness  "  on  his  only  begotten  Son,  our  blessed  Saviour. 


156  A   SONG   OF   PRAISE. 

"And  judgment  for  all  that  are  oppressed."  Judgment  here  is  to  be 
imderstood  in  the  sense  of  deliverance.  The  oppressed  are  they  who 
are  not  only  condemned  on  account  of  sin,  but  have  come  to  feel  its 
oppression,  as  the  children  of  Israel  felt  their  oppression  in  Egypt, 
and  cried  out  by  reason  of  their  bondage.  (Ex.  ii,  23-25.)  But 
there  is  a  deeper  significance  here.  God's  grace,  because  it  is  grace, 
is  turned  toward  those  who  are  oppressed,  who  are  taken  captive  by 
sin  and  the  devil,  for  their  deliverance.  In  the  very  beginning, 
when  man  sinned,  God  came  to  him,  and  having  assured  him  of  his 
favor,  announced  that  it  was  of  his  own  gracious  purpose  to  take 
man's  part  against  the  devil,  who  had  overcome  him,  and  to  deliver 
him  through  the  seed  of  the  woman.  (Gen.  iii,  14,  15.)  It  was  then 
and  there  that  our  gracious  God  of  Heaven  announced  himself  as 
the  sinner's  champion  against  the  god  of  this  world.  The  psalmist 
refers,  for  illustration  of  this  sublime  truth,  to  the  revelation  of  his 
ways  to  Moses.  By  ways  we  understand  his  purpose  of  grace,  or 
"his  ways"  of  dealing  with  sinners.  It  was  to  this  that  Moses  ap- 
pealed for  encouragement,  while  conducting  the  people  up  out  of 
Egypt:  "Now  therefore,  I  pray  thee,  if  I  have  found  grace  in  thy 
sight,  show  me  now  thy  way,  that  I  may  know  thee,  that  I  may  find 
grace  in  thy  sight;  and  consider  that  this  nation  is  thy  people." 
(Ex.  xxxiii,  13.) 

2. — The  mercy  and  grace  of  God. — The  way  of  the  Lord  was 
further  manifested  to  Moses  as  he  went  on  his  way,  in  the  further 
revelation  of  God's  character  and  disposition  toward  sinners.  The 
psalmist  undoubtedly  refers  to  that  magnificent  declaration  which 
God  made  to  Moses  in  answer  to  a  second  prayer  for  further  revela- 
tion :  "And  the  Lord  passed  by  him  and  proclaimed,  The  Lord,  the 
Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering  and  abundant  in 
goodness  and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity 
and  transgression  and  sin,  and  that  will  by  no  means  clear  the 
guilty."  (Ex.  xxxiv,  6,  7.)  Here  we  have  the  double  revelation  of 
God's  righteousness  and  God's  grace.  It  is  clearly  stated  that  his 
way  is  that  of  mercy ;  but  still  that  he  cannot  forget  that  sin  is  guilty, 
and  as  such  must  not  be  excused.  In  thus  dealing  with  sinners,  he 
"is  slow  to  anger  and  plenteous  in  mercy."  This  declaration  might 
be  fortified  with  a  score  of  passages  taken  from  every  part  of  the 
Bible,  might  be  illustrated  by  all  his  patient  dealings  with  sinners. 
Even  when  he  is  driven  to  deal  with  severity  with  his  people  for  their 
peristent  sins  and  the  stubbornness  of  their  hearts,  David  is  reminded 
that  he  will  not  "always  chide,"  that  he  will  not  forget  his  purpose 
of  grace  in  an  endless  course  of  severity.     "He  will  not  keep  his 


THE   MEASURE   OF   GOD'S   MERCY.  157 

anger  forever."'  That  is,  although  he  might  justly  persevere  in  his 
anger  and  send  us  to  destruction,  he  will  be  entreated  by  the  pen- 
itence of  his  people  and  turn  again  and  save  them.  "He  is  easily 
entreated."  God  always  waits  to  be  gracious.  The  whole  history 
of  Israel  is  an  abundant  illustration  of  this.  Even  now,  though 
Israel  has  been  an  outcast  nation  for  two  thousand  years,  he  is  pre- 
serving them  wonderfully  from  obliteration;  and  when  Israel  "shall 
turn  to  the  Lord,  the  veil  shall  be  taken  away,"  and  so  all  Israel  shall 
yet  be  saved.  (Is.  xxv,  G,  7;  II.  Cor.  iii,  15;  Rom.  xi,  26.)  This  is 
a  sublime  truth  for  the  encouragement  of  the  most  hopeless  sinner, 
for  those  especially  who  have  fallen  away  from  God  under  tempta- 
tion ;  but  it  is  not  a  truth  to  be  presumptuously  trifled  with. 

3.— The  principle  of  grace  restated. — "He  hath  not  dealt  with 
us  after  our  sins,  nor  rewarded  us  according  to  our  iniquities." 
(Ezra  ix,  13;  Job  xi,  6;  Lam.  iii,  22.)  Had  he  done  so  we  should 
have  been  destroy ed ;  but  he  has  dealt  with  us  according  to  his  pur- 
pose of  grace,  and  that  purpose  has  controlled  and  governed  him  in 
all  his  transactions  with  men.  In  this  may  be  seen  one  of  the  rea- 
sons why  apparently  incorrigible  sinners  are  so  long  spared  and 
allowed  to  go  on  in  their  wickedness.  "God  is  long-suffering,  not 
willing  that  any  should  perish."  He  has  not  forgotten  to  be  gracious, 
though  in  thus  remembering  mercy,  it  almost  seems  that  he  has  for- 
gotten that  sin  is  guilty  and  must  be  punished.  O,  the  wonders  of 
God's  grace  and  mercy  to  the  children  of  men  !  Who  can  sing  them, 
what  poet  can  frame  a  song  wThereby  to  comprehend  their  length, 
and  breadth,  and  depth,  and  height ! 

HI.— THE   MEASURE    OF   GOD'S  MERCY. 

The  psalmist  now  seeks  to  set  forth,  by  a  series  of  comparisons 
and  contrasts,  the  measure  of  the  divine  goodness. 

1. — Heavenly  greatness. — "As  the  heaven  is  high  above  the 
earth,  so  great  is  his  mercy  toward  them  that  fear  him."  We  only 
have  to  look  out  upon  the  heaven  above  and  round  about  us  and  call 
to  mind  how  great  its  limits  above  and  beyond  earth's  remotest 
bounds,  to  catch  the  idea  that,  "So  great"  is  his  mercy.  It  is  an- 
other way  of  putting  Paul's  statement,  that  "where  sin  abounded, 
grace  did  much  more  abound."  (Rom.  v,  20.)  The  heaven  of  his 
mercy  which  surrounds  us,  is  as  full  of  blessings  as  of  stars ;  and  as 
they  shine  down  upon  us,  all  reflecting  the  light  which  they  get  from 
the  world's  central  sun,  so  the  mercies  of  God  ever  come  to  us  laden 
with  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ. 


158  A  SONG  OF   PRAISE. 

2. — Infinite  forgiveness. — "As  far  as  the  east  is  from  the  west, 
so  far  hath  he  removed  our  transgressions  from  us."  That  is  only 
another  way  of  saying  that  they  are  utterly  blotted  out  and  separated 
from  us.  For  who  can  measure  the  distance  from  the  east  to  the 
west?  Our  sins  therefore  will  never  return  to  plague  us.  All  eter- 
nity will  not  be  long  enough  for  them  to  come  back  from  the  place 
whither  God  has  removed  them. 

3. — Fatherly  pity. — "  Like  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children,  so  the 
Lord  pitieth  them  that  fear  him."  God  is  not  an  awful,  impassive 
Moral  Governor,  dealing  with  us  according  to  hard  and  fast  rules ; 
but  when  once  his  fear  is  established  in  our  hearts,  he  is  like  a 
tender-hearted  father,  pitying  us  in  all  our  weakness,  and  treating 
us  with  reference  to  our  many  infirmities.  "He  knoweth  our  frame  ; 
he  remembereth  that  we  are  dust."  Matthew  Henry  says  :  "  He  con- 
siders the  frailties  of  our  bodies  and  the  folly  of  our  souls ;  he  con- 
siders how  little  we  can  do,  and  expects  accordingly  from  us  ;  in  all 
of  which  appears  the  tenderness  of  his  compassion."  Blessed  is  the 
man  who  has  found  out  in  his  communion  and  dealings  with  God 
that  he  is  a  Father  unto  us,  as  well  as  a  God.  Jesus  came  especially 
to  introduce  us  to,  and  make  us  acquainted  with,  him  as  such.  "He 
that  hath  seen  me,  hath  seen  the  Father."  We  have  only  to  remem- 
ber the  unvarying  pity  and  compassion  of  Jesus  toward  sinners,  to 
understand  what  are  God's  relations  toward  the  children  of  men. 

4. — The  shortness  of  man's  day  and  the  eternity  of  God's  mercy. 
— The  consideration  of  man's  frame  in  weakness  leads  the  psalmist 
to  contrast  the  fading  glory  of  this  earthly  life  with  the  everlasting 
mercy  of  God.  Like  the  grass  of  the  field  and  the  flowers  that  spring 
up  among  it,  so  is  man's  life  and  all  its  glory  in  this  world.  Frail 
and  short-lived  as  the  grass  is  his  life  ;  fleeting  as  the  wild  flowers  of 
the  field  are  all  his  glories  ;  wild  flowers  which  wither  under  the  blast 
of  the  passing  wind.  But  in  contrast  with  depressing  weakness  is 
set  forth  the  everlasting  mercy  of  God  and  his  unchanging  righteous- 
ness. In  these  we  have  not  only  the  suggestion  of  the  "life  and  im- 
mortality "  which  is  brought  to  light  in  the  Gospel,  but  of  the  better 
foundations  on  which  that  new  life  is  founded.  We  need  not  then 
fear  to  die,  we  need  not  mourn  over  the  loss  of  earthly  glory  or  the 
fading  away  of  the  passing  pleasures  and  delights  of  this  world. 
God  has  something  infinitely  better  in  store  for  us,  and  once  possess- 
ing these  "benefits,"  we  shall  never  be  deprived  of  them  by  death  or 
hell. 

5. — A  solemn  reminder. — These  great  things  of  God's  grace  are 
not  pearls  to  be  cast  before  swine.     They  are  free  gifts  to  those, 


A   UNIVERSAL   CALL   TO   PRAISE.  159 

and  those  only,  who  "fear  him,"  "keep  his  covenant,"  and  "re- 
member his  commandments  to  do  them."  This  is  no  infringement 
of  the  principles  of  his  graee.  He  does  not  give  his  benefits  in  return 
for  a  righteousness  of  our  own,  manifested  in  these  ways,  but  his 
benefits  of  grace  lead  up  to  such  a  fear,  such  a  remembrance,  and 
such  an  obedient  spirit.  Where  there  is  the  absence  of  these,  it  is 
evident  that  the  benefits  of  his  grace  have  not  been  received.  Any 
profession  of  faith  in  God,  or  claim  of  gracious  relation  to  him,  which 
is  not  confirmed  by  a  filial  spirit  on  the  part  of  the  professor,  may 
be  set  down  as  a  spurious  and  empty  formalism  of  one  who  has  a 
name  to  live,  but  is  dead. 

IV.— A  UNIVERSAL  CALL  TO  PRAISE. 

Having  set  forth  his  own  gratitude,  the  goodness  of  God  to  all 
people,  and  the  boundless  measure  of  grace  in  his  dealings  with  men, 
the  psalmist  rises  to  a  great  height  and  calls  on  the  whole  universe 
of  God  to  join  him  in  a  chorus  of  thanksgiving.  He  first  declares 
that  the  sovereignty  of  God  in  grace  is  an  established  and  fixed  fact. 
It  is  in  the  heavens,  and  extends  over  all  the  works  of  his  hands.  It 
is  the  principle  of  his  universal  government.  He  therefore  calls  upon 
the  angels,  that  excel  in  strength  and  that  do  his  commandments, 
hearkening  unto  the  voice  of  his  word,  to  bless  the  Lord.  Then, 
not  content  with  having  the  chief  angels  to  join  him  in  his  song  of 
praise,  he  calls  on  the  whole  company  of  his  hosts,  those  ministers 
of  his  that  do  his  pleasure,  to  join  in  blessing  the  Lord.  Then  he 
closes  his  summons  by  calling  upon  the  very  inanimate  works  of  God 
in  all  places  throughout  the  universe  to  take  up  the  chorus.  The 
psalm  concludes,  as  it  began,  with  this  splendid  outburst  of  grateful 
thanksgiving:  "Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul!"  Let  us,  who  have 
been  forgiven,  renewed  in  the  inner  man,  redeemed  from  destruction, 
made  heirs  of  God  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ,  whose  lives  have  been 
crowned  with  loving-kindness  and  tender  mercy,  take  up  the  song  of 
thanksgiving,  and  praise  him  with  our  whole  hearts,  and  so,  per- 
chance, extend  his  mercies  to  those  who  are  yet  strangers  to  it,  by 
setting  forth  his  benefits  as  we  have  come  to  know  them  in  our  own 
experience. 

"  The  wondrous  story  of  the  Lamb 

Tell  with  that  voice  of  ihiue, 
Till  others  with  the  glad  new  song, 

Go  singing  all  the  time." 


May  22,  1893. 


XXI. 

DANIEL    AND    HIS    COMPANIONS.— Daniel    i,    8-21. 

(8)  But  Daniel  purposed  in  his  heart  that  he  would  not  defile  himself  with  the 
portion  of  the  king's  meat,  nor  with  the  wine  which  he  drank :  therefore  he  requested 
of  the  prince  of  the  eunuchs  that  he  nvght  not  defile  himself.  (9)  Now  God  had 
brought  Daniel  into  favor  and  tender  love  with  the  prince  of  the  eunuchs.  (10)  And 
the  prince  of  the  eunuchs  said  unto  Daniel,  I  fear  my  lord  the  king,  who  hath 
appointed  your  meat  and  your  drink  :  for  why  should  he  see  your  faces  worse  liking 
than  the  children  which  are  of  your  sort  ?  then  shall  ye  make  me  endanger  my  head 
to  the  king.  (11)  Then  said  Daniel  to  Melzar,  whom  the  prince  of  the  eunuchs  had 
set  over  Daniel,  Hananiah,  Mishael,  and  Azariah,  (12)  Prove  thy  servants,  I 
beseech  thee,  ten  days  ;  and  let  them  give  us  pulse  to  eat,  and  water  to  drink.  (13) 
Then  let  our  countenances  b?  looked  upon  before  thee,  and  the  countenance  of  the 
children  that  eat  of  the  portion  of  the  king's  meat:  and  as  thou  seest,  deal  with  thy 
servants.  (14)  So  he  consented  to  them  in  this  matter,  and  proved  them  ten  days. 
(IT)  And  at  the  end  of  ten  days  their  countenances  appeared  fairer  and  fatter  in 
flesh  than  all  the  children  which  did  eat  the  portion  of  the  king's  meat.  (16)  Thus 
Melzar  took  away  the  portion  of  their  meat,  and  the  wine  that  they  should  drink; 
and  gave  them  pulse.  (1,)  As  for  these  four  children,  God  gave  them  knowledge 
and  skill  in  all  learning  and  wisdom :  and  Daniel  had  understanding  in  all  visions 
and  dreams.  (18)  Now  at  the  end  of  the  days  that  the  king  had  said  that  he  should 
bring  them  in,  then  the  prince  of  the  eunuchs  brought  them  in  before  Nebuchad- 
nezzar. (19)  And  the  king  communed  with  them;  and  among  them  all  was  found 
none  like  Daniel,  Hananiah,  Mishael,  and  Azariah  :  therefore  stood  they  before  the 
king.  (20)  And  in  all  matters  of  wisdom  and  understanding,  that  the  king  inquired 
of  them,  he  found  them  ten  times  better  than  all  the  magicians  and  astrologers  that 
were  in  all  his  realm.  (21)  And  Daniel  continued  even  unto  the  first  year  of  king 
Cyrus.— Daniel  i,  8-21. 

Among  the  prophets  of  the  Lord,  Daniel  is  certainly  one  of  the 
greatest,  not  simply  because  his  prophecy  is  large,  or  because  it 
deals  with  great  and  momentous  events  in  history ;  but  also  because 
of  his  imposing  personality  and  magnificent  character.  The  great 
prophets  of  Israel  beside  him  are  somewhat  shadowed  by  their  times, 
and  obscured  by  the  very  brilliancy  of  their  messages.  Elijah  is  the 
only  one  that  stands  out  as  conspicuously  as  Daniel.  Perhaps  this 
is  because  of  the  peculiarity  of  the  circumstances  under  which  Daniel 
wrought.  He  was  not,  in  the  strict  sense,  a  prophet  of  Israel.  His 
messages  were  not  to  his  people  then  captive  in  Babylon,  but  rather 
to  the  great  world-power  under  which  he  was  living  and  in  whose 
service  he  was.     He  had  been  all  his  lifetime  separated  from  his  peo- 

160 


DANIEL    AND  HIS  COMPANIONS.  161 

pie,  and  even  though  he  was  in  Babylon  during  their  captivity,  he 
was  not  a  part  of  them,  but  was  a  great  and  high  officer  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  king  of  Babylon.  In  this  respect  he  differed  in  posi- 
tion from  Ezekiel,  who  was  the  resident  prophet  of  Israel  while  in 
captivity,  a  captive  with  them.  Ezekiel  was  much  older  than  Daniel, 
and,  humanly  speaking,  might  have  been  jealous  of  Daniel's  position 
as  a  high  and  favorite  official  with  the  king,  whose  captives  were 
the  older  prophet  and  all  his  people.  Besides,  he  might  have  accused 
Daniel  of  fawning  on  the  enemies  of  his  people  and  being  untrue  to 
them,  in  that  he  took  place  and  emoluments  from  their  enemies  while 
his  brethren  were  suffering  a  bondage  little  better  than  that  of  Egypt. 
He  might  have  said  to  him  or  of  him :  "Why  do  you  not  make  your 
choice  like  Moses,  and  forsake  the  high  place  which  you  occupy  in 
the  palace  of  the  king  of  Babylon,  so  as  to  identify  yourself  with  the 
oppressed  people  of  the  Lord  ? "  Yet  he  never  did  so  reproach  Daniel. 
On  the  other  hand,  he  twice  distinguishes  Daniel  as  one  of  the  great- 
est of  men,  classifying  him  with  Noah  and  Job.  (Ez.  xiv,  14,  20.) 
This  should  £each  Us  a  lesson  to  the  effect  that  we  cannot  always 
judge  of  one  man's  actions  by  that  of  another.  In  his  place  it  would 
have  been  wrong  for  Moses  to  have  remained  the  "son  of  Pharaoh's 
daughter,"  while  in  Daniel's  place  it  would  have  been  wrong  for  him 
to  abandon  his  post  in  the  government  of  the  king  of  Babylon,  merely 
for  the  sake  of  showing  his  abhorrence  of  the  power  which  was  op- 
pressing his  people  on  the  one  hand,  and  his  sympathy  and  fellow- 
ship with  his  own  brethren  on  the  other.  Nor,  on  the  contrary,  with 
the  examples  of  Joseph  and  Daniel,  occupying  similar  positions  in 
Egypt  and  Babylon,  must  we  be  hasty  in  judging  the  possible  Tight- 
ness of  taking  and  continuing  in  the  employment  of  the  enemies  of 
God.  The  question  really  is  not  in  whose  employ  we  are  engaged, 
but  whether  in  that  employment  are  we  keeping  a  conscience  void 
of  offense,  and  are  using  our  place,  while  faithful  to  our  employer, 
for  the  glory  of  God.     This  certainly  did  both  Daniel  and  Joseph. 

The  book  of  Daniel  is  differently  constructed  from  that  of  any 
other  of  the  prophets.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  nearly  equally  divided 
between  history  and  prophecy.  In  the  second  place,  it  is  a  book  of 
revelation,  almost  of  the  same  character  as  that  of  John, — beside 
which,  indeed,  it  must  be  closely  studied  in  order  to  understand  it. 
It  deals,  as  we  have  said,  principally  with  the  great  world-powers 
and  the  course  of  human  history  outside  that  of  Israel.  Its  messages 
are  to  these  powers  rather  than  to  Israel.  It  is  singularly  free  from 
those  passages  in  which  a  prophet  speaks  a  direct  word  to  the  people 
by  a  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord."     As  to  its  genuineness  and  authenticity, 


1(32  DANIEL   AND   HIS   COMPANIONS. 

there  remains  little  doubt,  for,  like  other  of  the  great  books  of  the 
Bible,  it  has  come  out  of  the  fire  of  criticism  like  Daniel's  own  com- 
panions out  of  the  furnace,  with  no  further  effects  than  to  have 
burned  off  the  cords  with  which  critics  had  bound  it. 

Our  study  has  to  do  directly  with  the  person  of  Daniel  and  the 
circumstances  under  which  he  found  himself  when  first  taken  away 
a  captive  to  Babylon.  The  expression  "the  old  prophets"  is  a  very 
common  one.  We  are  accustomed  to  think  of  these  great  servants 
of  God  as  old  men,  with  gray  locks  and  flowing  beards, — and  so  in- 
deed most  of  them  were  in  the  end ;  but  here  we  are  introduced  to  a 
prophet  of  the  Lord  in  his  tender  youth,  for  it  is  evident  that  the 
spirit  of  prophecy -was  in  him  at  the  very  beginning  of  his  career,  as 
recorded  in  this  history.  Daniel  was  probably  a  lad  not  yet  beyond 
sixteen  years  of  age  when  he  is  first  introduced  to  us ;  yet  all  the 
signs  of  the  prophet  are  present  with  him :  piety,  courage,  and  wis- 
dom, together  with  the  power  of  foretelling  the  events  of  the  future. 
There  is  a  striking  comparison  between  the  history  of  Daniel  and 
Joseph,  which  we  have  already  illustrated.  Joseph  was  the  first 
distinguished  man  of  his  house,  and  we  may  say  that  Daniel  was  the 
last  man  of  great  eminence.  In  their  youth  they  were  both  captives, 
and  both  true  to  God  and  their  consciences  in  circumstances  that 
were  very  trying.  Both  obtained  favor  with  their  kings,  and  reached 
places  of  great  honor  and  power  in  the  kingdoms  whither  in  the 
providence  of  God  they  had  been  sent  as  prisoners.  It  is  surprising 
to  note  how  often  young  men  have  played  great  parts  in  the  world's 
history ;  and  this  is  especially  true  of  the  history  of  God's  kingdom 
on  the  earth.  Moses  and  Joshua  were  comparatively  young  men  for 
the  age  in  which  they  lived;  David  and  Solomon  were  young  men 
when  they  were  called  to  assume  the  greatest  responsibilities. 
Joseph  and  Daniel  were  mere  lads  when  God  began  to  use  them; 
John  the  Baptist  and  Jesus  were  young  men  when  they  began  their 
ministry,  Jesus  himself  being  a  mere  child  of  twelve  years  when  he 
first  undertook  his  Father's  business.  Saul  of  Tarsus  was  a  young 
man  when  Jesus  met,  converted,  and  commissioned  him  to  be  the 
great  apostle  to  the  Gentiles.  Timothy  was  a  mere  lad  when  Paul 
chose  him  for  his  companion,  and  adopted  him  as  his  son.  What 
encouragement  is  here  for  young  men,  and  even  lads,  to  enter  at  once 
on  the  work  and  into  the  personal  service  of  God  !  Daniel  was  one 
of  four  young  men,  or  lads,  who  were  carried  away  by  Nebuchad- 
nezzar in  the  third  year  of  the  reign  of  Jehoiakim,  before  the  final 
captivity  of  Judah  and  the  whole  nation.  We  do  not  know  who  were 
his  father  or  mother,  but  we  know  that  he  was  a  prince  royal.     It 


DANIEL   UNDER   TEMPTATION.  163 

was  the  custom  of  Eastern  monarchs  to  select  from  their  captives 
the  most  noble,  the  fairest,  and  the  cleverest,  and  train  them  up  for 
their  own  service,  often  attaching  them  to  their  own  persons,  as 
Nehemiah  was  attached  to  his  king.  This  was  probably  for  the  pur- 
pose of  conciliating  their  enemies,  as  well  as  of  availing  themselves 
of  the  wisdom,  traditions,  and  learning  of  the  nations  around  them. 
In  accordance  with  this  custom,  Daniel  and  his  three  friends — all 
princes — were  selected  to  be  specially  trained  for  government  service. 
They  were  placed  under  the  particular  care  and  instruction  of  the 
chief  eunuch  of  the  king's  household,  to  be  educated  and  fitted  for 
their  future  duties.  It  is  our  duty  to  consider  the  history  of  Daniel 
under  circumstances  here  detailed,  and  draw  from  that  history  such 
lessons  as  will  be  of  help  and  profit  for  us. 

I.— DANIEL   UNDER  TEMPTATION. 

Whether  it  was  a  part  of  the  deliberate  policy  of  the  king  of 
Babylon  to  corrupt  these  young  men  by  feeding  them  from  his  own 
table  with  the  meat  and  drink  which  had  been  offered  to  idols,  and 
so  to  wean  them  away  from  the  religion  of  their  fathers,  or  whether 
this  circumstance  was  the  providential  occasion  of  developing  the 
faith  and  character  of  Daniel  and  his  friends  is  not  a  question  of 
great  moment.  It  is  certain  that,  amid  all  the  idolatrous  customs  of 
his  own  country,  Daniel  had  been  trained  carefully  by  godly  parents, 
or  perhaps  by  Jeremiah  himself,  and  had  escaped  the  prevailing  un- 
belief and  apostasy  of  his  house.  It  is  certain  that,  when  he  was 
called  upon  to  eat  meat  and  drink  wine  which  had  been  offered  to 
idols,  he  and  his  friends  entered  their  protest  and  sought  to  be  free 
from  that  compromise  of  their  religious  principles.  Daniel  was, 
from  the  very  beginning  of  his  career,  a  true  witness  for  the  truth. 
His  temptation  was  all  the  more  severe  from  the  following  circum- 
stances : 

1. — Because  of  his  youth. — It  would  not  have  been  so  remark- 
able that  he  declined  to  compromise  his  conscience,  had  he  been  a 
full-grown  man,  with  religious  principles  and  character  strong  by 
reason  of  maturity  and  long  habit  of  righteousness.  Youth  is,  indeed, 
purer  than  manhood,  but  then,  as  a  rule,  it  is  weaker  and  more 
easily  led  by  those  under  whose  power  and  influence  it  is  brought. 
Now,  Daniel  was  but  a  lad,  and  yet  he  withstood  the  temptation  in 
a  very  manly  fashion.  He  demonstrated  the  possibility  of  standing 
by  a  purpose  even  for  one  so  young ;  and  the  importance  of  doing  so 
at  the  very  outset.     Had  Daniel  yielded  here  to  the  first  temptation, 


164  DANIEL   AND   HIS   COMPANIONS. 

he  would  hardly  have  recovered  his  faith  at  a  later  time.  If  we  win 
in  the  first  fight  with  the  tempter,  we  may  assure  ourselves  of  victory 
all  through  life. 

2. — Because  he  was  away  from  home. — One  of  the  worst  situa- 
tions for  a  young  man  to  find  himself  in,  is  to  he  away  from  home 
and  home  influences,  in  a  strange  city,  especially  when  surrounded 
by  those  who  have  no  sympathy  with  the  religious  training  and  prin- 
ciples of  his  home  life.  In  this  situation  Daniel  was  placed.  What 
had  become  of  his  father  and  mother,  his  brethren  and  kindred,  we 
are  not  told.  Possibly  they  had  been  killed  in  the  siege  or  carried 
away  captive  to  some  other  province.  At  any  rate,  it  was  an  hour 
of  weakness  and  desolation  with  the  lad,  and  in  such  a  time  the 
tempter  is  sure  to  be  present  to  spread  his  net  and  shoot  his  fiery 
darts.  Daniel's  courage  and  faith  under  these  circumstances  is  all 
the  more  marked. 

3. — Because  of  his  helplessness. — He  was  not  only  in  a  strange 
land  and  among  strangers,  but  he  was  a  captive,  and  wholly  at  the 
mercy  of  the  king  and  his  servants.  He  might  have  said  to  himself, 
and  not  without  some  show  of  reason  :  "I  am  not  responsible  for  the 
things  which  I  do  under  the  command  of  the  king,  whose  prisoner  I 
am."  We  have  heard  young  men,  who  justified  themselves  for 
wrong-doing  because  they  were  only  carrying  out  the  orders  of  their 
employers.  On  the  other  hand,  I  once  knew  a  lad  of  fourteen  who 
threw  up  a  position,  which  he  had  taken  two  years  to  attain  in  the 
establishment  where  he  was  employed,  rather  than  make  out  a  false 
shipping  invoice  at  the  command  of  his  employer.  Daniel  was  made 
of  the  same  kind  of  stuff,  and  had  the  courage  of  older  men  who  de- 
clared that  they  ought  to  serve  God  rather  than  men. 

4. — Because  of  the  subtlety  of  the  temptation. — It  was  a  mat- 
ter of  great  self-gratulation  to  Daniel  that  he  had  been  selected 
to  fill  a  high  place  in  the  service  of  the  king,  and  that  the  king  had 
complimented  him  by  directing  that  he  should  be  fed  with  meat  and 
drink  from  his  own  table.  This  high  distinction  would  be  recognized 
both  by  the  other  prisoners  and  by  the  king's  officers  themselves. 
To  refuse  this  peculiar  mark  of  the  king's  favor  would  have  been 
both  ungracious  and  impertinent  on  Daniel's  part.  There  is  no  surer 
approach  to  the  citadel  of  man's  moral  nature  than  by  the  gateway 
of  vanity  and  with  the  instruments  of  flattery,  especially  if  the 
agents  be  the  rich  and  the  great.  What  we  might  refuse  from  our 
inferiors,  or  even  our  equals,  is  not  so  easily  declined  if  it  is  offered 
by  our  betters.  But  Daniel  was  proof  here  too,  considering  the 
favor  of  God  as  being  of  greater  worth  than  the  flattery  of  the  king. 


STANDING   BY   A   PURPOSE   TRUE.  165 

5.— Because  of  the  peril  of  his  position. — Sometimes  we  can 
brave  the  sneer  of  the  ungodly  and  the  arched  eyebrows  of  the  less 
conscientious,  where  we  should  not  be  willing  to  stand  up  under 
peril  of  life  itself.  Yet  this  was  Daniel's  danger.  To  have  abso- 
lutely refused  the  king's  appointment  to  the  portion  of  meat  would 
have  been  to  imperil  his  life.  Even  the  king's  servant,  who  had 
charge  of  the  matter,  said  that  to  concede  to  Daniel's  protest  and 
request  would  be  to  u  endanger  my  head  to  the  king."  But  Daniel 
counted  not  his  life  dear  to  himself  in  this  matter.  The  favor  of  God 
was  more  to  him  than  life.  We  do  not  wonder  after  this,  that,  at  a 
later  period  of  his  life,  he  calmly  went  on  praying  with  his  face  to- 
ward Jerusalem,  even  though  the  den  of  lions  was  to  be  his  portion  for 
so  doing. 

H.— STANDING   BY  A  PURPOSE  TRUE. 

In  accounting  for  Daniel's  firmness  in  this  matter,  it  will  be  profit- 
able for  us  to  look  under  the  surface  and  inquire  into  the  secret  of 
his  strength. 

1. — He  was  true  to  a  godly  education. — We  do  not  know  who 
his  parents  were,  nor  are  we  in  possession  of  any  of  the  details  of 
his  early  education ;  but  we  are  morally  sure  that  this  lad  had  been 
carefully  trained  in  the  fear  of  God  by  somebody.  Perhaps  the  low 
state  of  religion  in  his  own  land  had  served  to  increase  in  him  the 
sense  of  responsibility  for  an  absolutely  true  course  in  the  matter 
now  before  him.  No  lad  would  have  stood  this  test  if  he  had  not 
been  thoroughly  well  taught ;  not  in  the  external  virtues  of  religion, 
but  in  its  very  essence  and  power.  In  this  there  is  a  message  both 
to  parents  and  sons.  If  we  parents  wish  to  be  absolutely  sure  of  the 
course  which  our  sons  will  take,  when  the  time  comes  to  send  them 
forth  into  the  world  to  fight  life's  battle  for  themselves,  let  us  be 
sure  that  they  go  out  from  us  rooted  and  grounded  in  the  truth,  and 
established  in  the  faith  of  God  and  his  Christ.  Better  sacrifice  every- 
thing else  than  fail  in  sending  forth  our  children  thorough  Christians, 
able  to  "work  out  their  own  salvation"  in  the  face  of  a  hostile 
world.  And  if  boys  expect  to  stand  in  the  face  of  temptation  when 
away  from  home,  and  to  have  the  favor  of  God  in  all  their  undertak- 
ings, let  them  see  to  it  that,  like  Daniel,  they  have  a  purpose  true, 
not  to  defile  themselves  with  the  world's  meat  and  drink,  whether  it 
come  in  the  form  of  ungodly  indulgences  or  unlawful  profits  and 
pleasures. 

2. — He  was  true  to  his  conscience. — It  was  not  only  loyalty  to 
home-training,  but  loyalty  to  conscience,  that  stood  Daniel  in  good 


166  DANIEL  AND   HIS  COMPANIONS. 

stead  in  the  hour  of  trial.  In  leaving  home  we  leave  home  influ- 
ences, but  if  we  have  a  conscience  that  has  been  trained  in  the  fear 
of  God,  we  shall  always  take  that  with  us.  Home-training  will  keep 
us  a  little  while,  but  a  sensitive  conscience  is  a  never-failing  guide. 
Daniel  dreaded  defilement  of  conscience  more  than  aught  else  that 
might  befall  him  during  his  captivity ;  and  his  extreme  sensitiveness 
in  the  matter  of  eating  or  not  eating  the  portion  from  the  king's 
table,  shows  how  really  he  was  a  true  child  of  God.  To  have  eaten 
the  food  offered  him,  knowing  that  it  had  been  offered  to  idols, 
would  have  been  an  act  of  sacrilege  from  which  his  conscience  would 
scarcely  have  recovered.  He  is  a  happy  boy  or  man,  whether  rich 
or  poor,  prince  or  peasant,  who  has  a  conscience  like  Daniel's.  It 
will  stand  by  and  strengthen  him  in  many  an  hour  of  trial. 

3. — He  was  true  to  the  word  of  God. — It  was  not  only  general 
training  that  he  should  not  get  involved  with  idols  and  their  wor- 
ship, and  especially  that  he  should  not  eat  meat  offered  to  them ; 
but  he  evidently  had  in  remembrance  the  special  teaching  of  Lev.  ii 
and  Deut.  xii,  where  such  a  course  is  strictly  forbidden.  By  taking 
heed  to  the  word  of  God,  a  young  man  will  not  only  cleanse  himself 
from  evil  ways,  but  will  be  able  to  do  something  better  :  even  to  keep 
himself  safe  from  being  defiled. 

4. — He  was  true  to  his  brethren. — Daniel  seems  to  have  been 
the  spokesman  for  the  other  three  young  princes,  as  he  was  undoubt- 
edly by  nature,  and  perhaps  by  rank,  their  leader.  Should  he  give 
way,  his  brethren  would  hardly  stand,  and  so  they  would  also  be  de- 
filed. If  he  stood  fast,  they,  encouraged  by  his  example,  would  stand 
by  his  side.  Moreover,  there  were  many  other  captives  who  would 
naturally  look  up  to  these  young  princes,  already  marked  out  by  the 
king's  favor  for  examples  to  themselves.  Daniel  was  therefore  jeal- 
ous of  his  influence  as  of  his  own  soul's  peace.  He  must  be  a  true 
witness  for  the  sake  of  others.  "We  have  not  only  our  own  souls  to 
look  after,  but  our  influence  upon  others  to  keep  untainted.  Every 
one  of  us  is  made  the  keeper  of  his  brother.  It  is  this  conviction 
which  often  serves  to  strengthen  God's  children  when  they  would 
yield  for  themselves. 

5. — He  was  true  to  God. — When  Daniel  requested  permission  to 
decline  the  king's  meat  and  live  upon  a  simple  vegetable  diet,  such 
as  was  never  used  in  offerings  to  the  idols,  and  the  king's  eunuch 
protested  that  the  result  would  be  a  spare  and  ill-liking  physical  re- 
sult, unbecoming  to  a  king's  favorite,  he  appealed  for  a  trial  of  re- 
sults, knowing,  or  at  least  believing,  that  God,  in  whose  honor  he 
was  acting,  would  not  desert  him,  or  allow  his  act  of  piety  to  go 


DANIEL   VINDICATED   AND    REWARDED.  1G7 

unvouched  for.  A  true  Christian  may  always  appeal  to  the  results 
of  a  Christian  walk  for  its  justification.  Daniel  only  asked  a  trial  of 
ten  days.  He  believed  that  God  would  vindicate  his  course,  and 
show  to  the  eunuch  that  in  every  way  it  was  better  to  serve  God  than 
worship  or  be  compromised  with  the  worship  of  idols.  Like  Paul,  he 
was  ready,  by  an  experimental  test  of  the  truth,  to  commend  himself 
and  his  brethren  to  the  consciences  or  judgment  of  men.  In  all  this 
Daniel  was  not  forward  in  professing  great  faith,  or  in  arguing  in  favor 
of  God,  nor  did  he  in  anywise  show  a  stubborn  spirit,  but  was  court- 
eous throughout.  Perhaps  his  gentle  spirit  and  courtesy  had  as 
much  to  do  with  influencing  the  eunuch  to  trust  him,  as  his  firm  pur- 
pose not  to  yield.  It  is  always  best  to  win  a  point  by  persuasion,  if 
possible,  before  resorting  to  a  declaration  of  war.  We  may  always 
be  sure  that  God  will  in  the  end  honor  those  who  honor  him. 

in.— DANIEL  VINDICATED   AND   REWARDED. 

God  stood  by  Daniel,  his  young  servant,  in  this  matter,  as  he  had 
stood  by  Joseph  in  Egypt,  and  even  more  promptly  vindicated  his 
faith.     God's  favor  was  seen  in  three  things. 

1. — In  the  favor  he  gave  Daniel  with  the  eunuch. — He  had 
already  brought  him  "into  favor  and  tender  love  with  the  prince  of 
the  eunuchs."  God  does  not  wait  till  the  end  of  our  faith  to  come  to 
our  help,  but,  even  if  there  be  a  purpose  in  our  hearts  to  be  true  to 
him,  he  gives  us  preliminary  vindication.  There  must  have  been 
something  very  charming  and  winning  about  Daniel  from  the  very 
beginning.  True  faith  does  make  a  man  or  a  woman  attractive  even 
in  the  eyes  of  unbelievers.  Let  us  not  be  afraid  of  losing  the  best 
favor  of  men  by  being  true  to  God.  The  early  Christians  being  true 
to  God,  won  for  themselves  favor  with  the  people. 

2. — By  giving  them  greater  physical  beauty. — At  the  end  of 
the  ten  days'  trial,  "their  countenances  appeared  fairer  and  fatter  in 
flesh  than  all  the  children  which  did  eat  the  portion  of  the  king's 
meat."  No  doubt  there  was  a  special  interposition  of  God  in  this 
matter,  but  no  doubt,  on  the  other  hand,  the  result  was  in  part  ow- 
ing to  the  very  fact  that  they  abstained  from  the  luxuries  of  the 
king's  table  and  the  deteriorating  influences  of  the  wine  which  was 
appointed  for  their  drink.  In  the  long  nm,  the  man  who  lives  on 
sini])le  fare  will  show  more  physical  beauty  than  he  who  fares 
sumptuously  every  day  on  dainty  food.  Chrysostom  says  of  these 
four  young  men  who  stood  to  their  purpose,  that  "they  had  better 
health  for  their  spare  diet ;  and  their  good  conscience  and  merry 


1G8  DANIEL   AND   HIS   COMPANIONS. 

heart  were  a  continual  feast  unto  them.  They  had  also  God's  bless- 
ing on  their  coarser  fare,  which  was  the  main  matter  that  made  the 
difference."  It  has  been  said  of  the  Scotch  that  they  owe  their  well- 
known  superiority  in  many  things  to  their  training  in  the  shorter 
catechism  and  their  diet  of  oat-meal. 

3. — By  their  superior  intellectual  ability. — At  the  end  of  the 
three  years  which  had  been  assigned  for  their  special  education, 
they  were  brought  before  the  king,  and  he  found  them  "ten  times 
better  in  all  matters  of  wisdom  and  understanding  than  all  the  magi- 
cians and  astrologers  that  were  in  all  his  realm."  There  is  hardly  a 
doubt  that,  if  the  facts  were  known  and  could  be  tabulated,  it  would 
appear  that  the  intellectual  life  of  Christian  people  is  far  in  advance 
of  those  men  of  the  world  who  reject  God  and  his  counsels,  both  as 
to  the  spiritual  life  and  the  general  state  of  the  body,  promoted  by  a 
temperate  use  of  the  good  things  of  life.  Certainly  a  wide  generali- 
zation shows  marked  superiority  in  favor  of  those  nations  commonly 
known  as  Christian,  over  those  which  are  guided  by  the  superstitions 
and  excesses  of  heathenism.  In  this  great  empire  of  India,  where  I 
am  now  preaching  the  Gospel,  we  see  a  little  handful  of  Englishmen 
dominating  270,000,000  of  people,  in  all  that  appertains  to  knowl- 
edge, and  wisdom,  both  in  politics  and  material  science.  The  gen- 
eral and  well-known  superiority  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  is  due  most 
of  all,  and  first  of  all,  to  the  influence  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 
God  has  trained  that  race  for  the  civilization  and  the  evangelization 
of  the  whole  world.  Woe  to  them  if  they  prove  unfaithful  to  their 
trust.  In  like  manner,  let  every  one  of  us  remember  his  responsi- 
bility in  all  matters  of  physical  and  intellectual  powers,  and  use 
them  only  for  the  furtherance  of  the  glory  of  his  Maker,  from 
whom  he  holds  them  as  a  sacred  trust. 


May  29,  1892. 


XXII. 

NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S    DREAM.— Daniel    ii,   36-49. 

(36)  This  is  the  dream  ;  and  we  will  tell  the  interpretation  thereof  before  the 
king.  (37)  Thou,  O  king,  art  a  king  of  kings :  for  the  God  of  heaven  hath  given 
thee  a  kingdom,  power,  and  strength,  and  glory.  (38)  And  wheresoever  the  children 
of  men  dwell,  the  beasts  of  the  field  and  the  fowls  of  heaven  hath  he  given  into  thine 
hand,  and  hath  made  thee  ruler  over  them  all.  Thou  art  this  head  of  gold.  (39)  And 
after  thee  shall  arise  another  kingdom  inferior  to  thee,  and  another  third  kingdom 
of  brass,  which  shall  bear  rule  over  all  the  earth.  (40)  And  the  fourth  kingdom 
shall  be  strong  as  iron :  forasmuch  as  iron  breaketh  in  pieces  and  subdueth  all 
things :  and  as  iron  that  breaketh  all  these,  shall  it  break  in  pieces  and  bruise.  (41) 
And  whereas  thou  sawest  the  feet  and  toes,  part  of  potters'  clay,  and  part  of  iron, 
the  kingdom  shall  be  divided  ;  but  there  shall  be  in  it  of  the  strength  of  the  iron, 
forasmuch  as  thou  sawest  the  iron  mixed  with  miry  clay.  (42)  And  as  the  toes  of 
the  feet  were  part  of  iron,  and  part  of  clay,  so  the  kingdom  shall  be  partly  strong, 
and  partly  broken.  (4*i)  And  whereas  thou  sawest  iron  mixed  with  miry  clay,  they 
shall  mingle  themselves  with  the  seed  of  men :  but  they  shall  not  cleave  one  to 
another,  even  as  iron*  is  not  mixed  with  clay.  (44)  And  in  the  days  of  these  kings 
shall  the  God  of  heaven  set  up  a  kingdom,  which  shall  never  be  destroyed  :  and  the 
kingdom  shall  not  be  left  to  other  people,  but  it  shall  break  in  pieces  and  consume 
all  these  kingdoms,  and  it  shall  stand  for  ever.  (45)  Forasmuch  as  thou  sawest  that 
the  stone  was  cut  out  of  the  mountain  without  hands,  and  that  it  brake  in  pieces  the 
iron,  the  brass,  the  clay,  the  silver,  and  the  gold  ;  the  great  God  hath  made  known 
to  the  king  what  shall  come  to  pass  hereafter  :  and  the  dream  is  certain,  and  the 
interpretation  thereof  sure.  (46)  Then  the  king  Nebuchadnezzar  fell  upon  his  face, 
and  worshipped  Daniel,  and  commanded  that  they  should  offer  an  oblation  and  sweet 
odours  unto  him.  (47)  The  king  answered  unto  Daniel,  and  said.  Of  a  truth  it  is,  that 
your  God  is  a  God  of  gods,  and  a  Lord  of  kings,  and  a  revealer  of  secrets,  seeing 
thou  couldest  reveal  this  secret.  (48)  Then  the  king  made  Daniel  a  great  man,  and 
gave  him  many  great  gifts,  and  made  him  ruler  over  the  whole  province  of  Babylon, 
and  chief  of  the  governors  over  all  the  wise  men  of  Babylon.  (49)  Then  Daniel 
requested  of  the  king,  and  he  set  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego,  over  the 
affairs  of  the  province  of  Babylon  :  but  Daniel  sat  in  the  gate  of  the  king.— Daniel 
ii,  36-49. 

After  the  universal  apostasy  of  the  world  from  God,  which  headed 
itself  up  at  the  tower  of  Babel,  God  scattered  the  people  and  chose 
out  a  single  man  to  be  the  father  of  a  nation,  with  whom  he  should 
make  a  covenant  to  establish  them  in  the  earth  forever.  This  Jew- 
ish nation  became  a  kingdom  under  the  direct  government  of.  God. 
In  course  of  time  this  Theocratic  Kingdom  itself  apostatized  from 
God,  was  consequently  by  him  rejected  and  driven  away  from  its 

169 


170  NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S   DREAM. 

proper  territory,  and  its  people  became  captive  to  the  great  world- 
powers  which  had  been  in  process  of  formation,  dissolution,  and  ref- 
ormation during  all  the  time  of  God's  dealings  with  Israel.  At  last 
the  great  Babylonian  power  was  raised  up  of  God  (v.  37),  to  be  the 
instrument  of  chastising  and  breaking  up  the  apostate  Theocracy. 
But  God  had  not  forgotten  his  covenant  with  Israel,  much  less  that 
with  his  Messiah,  to  whom  throughout  the  whole  history  of  Israel  he 
had  promised  a  universal  dominion  of  the  earth  in  connection  with 
the  Jewish  people.  The  Jewish  people  and  kingdom,  to  all  human 
appearance  and  judgment,  was,  at  the  time  of  Nebuchadnezzar, 
hopelessly  destroyed ;  for  in  the  history  of  the  world  a  nation  which 
has  been  broken  up  as  the  Jewish  nation  then  was,  never  reformed 
itself,  its  people  becoming  absorbed  and  incorporate  with  succeed- 
ing nations.  But  it  was  not  to  be  so  with  this  nation,  apostate  and 
broken  though  it  was — and  is.  We  see  in  the  story  of  Daniel  and 
his  three  friends,  the  germ  out  of  which  is  to  spring  the  nation's 
regeneration.  In  these  young  men  the  true  principles  of  the  Theo- 
cratic kingdom  survived ;  faith,  obedience,  and  the  spirit  of  proph- 
ecy. The  first  chapter  has  to  do  with  the  fact  of  this  remnant  and 
God's  special  protection  thrown  around  it.  In  the  second  chapter 
we  begin  to  see  the  Spirit  of  God  working  in  the  heart  of  the  ruler  of 
the  great  world-power,  disturbing  it  with  dreams  of  things  to  come ; 
and  also  we  see  the  spirit  of  prophecy  working  in  the  head  and  heart 
of  Daniel,  to  interpret  the  dream  of  the  great  heathen  king,  and  to 
set  forth  the  course  of  history  among  the  nations  until  God  should 
re-establish  his  own  Theocratic  Kingdom  and  give  the  world  to  the 
saints  according  to  his  original  and  eternal  purpose.  The  prophecy 
of  Daniel,  as  we  have  before  said,  is  the  type  of  that  of  John,  and 
deals  with  the  same  subject.  John  gives  us  all  the  details  of  the 
working  out  of  Daniel's  prophecy,  and  incorporates  in  his  vision 
what  Daniel  saw,  if  indeed  at  all,  only  in  the  dimmest  gleam  of  light ; 
namely,  the  connection  of  the  Church  of  Christ  with  the  Jewish  na- 
tion. In  his  reply  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  Daniel  told  him  that  God  had 
"made  known  to  the  king  what  shall  be  in  the  latter  days."  (v.  28.) 
In  like  manner  we  read  that  John  beheld  "a  door  open  in  heaven 
and  heard  a  voice  as  of  a  trumpet  talking  with  him,  which  said : 
' '  Come  hither  and  I  will  show  thee  the  things  which  must  be  here- 
after." (Rev.  iv,  1.)  Then  follows  the  revelation.  Daniel's  proph- 
ecy is  like  an  elevated  sketch  of  a  great  building  drawn  by  the 
Architect  of  nations  ;  John's  revelation  is  the  working  plan  by  which 
the  new  political  structure  of  the  world  is  to  be  wrought  out.  Daniel 
unveils  the  foreground  of  the  history,  in  which  we  see  the  nations 


THE   GREAT   IMAGE.  177 

turned  and  overturned  until  he  comes  whose  right  it  is  to  reign  ;  he 
shows  the  everlasting  kingdom  in  distant  perspective ;  but  John 
shows  us  the  Everlasting  King  coming  in  victorious  majesty  and 
taking  to  himself  his  great  power  and  reigning  on  the  earth.  (Rev. 
xi,  15-17.)  The  former  part  of  our  chapter  gives  an  account  of  the 
dream  of  the  great  king  of  Babylon  and  the  trouble  which  it  caused 
him  in  the  night.  On  waking,  the  dream  passed  out  of  his  memory, 
but  yet  left  him  so  agitated  that  he  could  not  sleep  because  of  the 
haunting  fear  and  awful  sense  of  pending  woe  which  was  left  on  his 
mind.  He  called  the  next  morning  for  the  astrologers  and  wise  men, 
demanding  of  them  that  they  should  interpret  the  dreani  to  him. 
They  in  turn  demanded  that  the  king  should  tell  them  the  dream ; 
the  king  claimed  that  they  should  recall  the  dream,  telling  them  that, 
if  the^y  failed,  their  boasted  power  of  interpretation  was  a  mere  pre- 
tense ;  in  which  case  he  stated  his  intention  of  having  them  all  put 
to  death.  On  their  failure  to  comply,  the  decree  of  death  went  forth. 
Daniel  and  his  brethren  belonged  to  the  class  of  wise  men,  though 
they  had  probably  kept  themselves  apart  during  the  four  years,  or 
perhaps  only  the  one  year,  since  they  were  formally  invested  with 
official  powers.  The  captain  of  the  guard  had  either  begun  to  exe- 
cute the  king's  order,  or  was  giving  notice  of  it  to  all  the  wise  men, 
when  the  first  news  of  the  dream  and  the  failure  of  the  heathen  as- 
trologers came  to  Daniel's  ears.  He  asked  an  opportunity  to  inter- 
pret the  king's  dream,  and  in  the  meantime  requested  that  the 
decree  of  death  against  the  wise  men  should  be  suspended.  The 
request  was  granted ;  and  Daniel,  whose  faith  in  God  enabled  him  to 
promise  the  interpretation,  now  resorted  to  prayer  with  his  three 
friends,  beseeching  God  to  show  him  the  dream  and  its  interpreta- 
tion ;  nor  did  God  fail  to  answer  his  servant's  faith.  Going  now  with 
a  heart  full  of  praise  to  God  into  the  presence  of  the  king,  he  dis- 
claimed all  personal  wisdom  in  the  matter,  but  told  his  master  that 
there  was  a  God  in  heaven  from  whom  no  secrets  were  hid,  and  who 
had  revealed  the  whole  matter  to  him.  Whereupon  he  correctly 
recalled  the  king's  dream  and  then  proceeded  to  its  interpretation. 

I.— THE   GREAT   IMAGE. 

In  his  dream  the  king  had  seen  a  colossal  image  with  a  head  of 
gold,  breasts  and  arms  of  silver,  belly  and  thighs  of  brass,  legs  of 
iron,  and  feet  and  toes  part  of  iron  and  part  of  clay.  This  colossal 
image  was  finally  smitten  in  its  toes  by  a  mysterious  stone  cut  out 
of  the  mountain  without  hands,  and  utterly  demolished  from  foot  to 


172  NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S   DREAM. 

crown,  its  fragments  being  scattered  like  the  chaff  of  the  summer 
threshing-floor,  and  never  gathered  again.  The  mysterious  stone, 
after  it  had  destroyed  the  image,  became  a  great  mountain,  and 
filled  the  whole  earth.  The  general  meaning  of  this  dream  is  per- 
fectly clear.  It  represents  the  succession  of  great  world-powers 
which  should  rise  in  the  world,  to  whom  God  had  given,  directly  or 
indirectly,  the  sovereignty  of  the  earth,  until  Christ  himself  should 
come  and  completely  overthrow  them,  once  for  all,  and  take  posses- 
sion of  the  whole  earth,  and  reign  upon  it  forever  with  and  by  his 
saints,  (vii,  18-27 ;  Rev.  v,  9,  10  ;  xi,  15-17  ;  xix,  6 ;  xx,  4-6  ;  xxii, 
5. )  In  this  image  two  things  are  particularly  set  forth :  that  the 
world-power  tends  to  division,  as  seen  in  the  legs,  feet,  and  toes ; 
and  that  it  gradually  deteriorates  from  fine  gold,  down  through  sil- 
ver, brass,  and  iron,  to  potter's  clay.  It  is  only  when  the  world- 
power  becomes  a  mixture  of  iron  and  clay,  which  cannot  become 
permanently  united,  though  having  in  it  an  element  of  strength, 
that  it  is  finally  overthrown.  The  whole  dream  and  its  interpreta- 
tion ought  to  be  carefully  studied  in  connection  with  the  further  rev- 
elations granted  to  Daniel,  and  recorded  in  the  seventh,  eighth, 
eleventh,  and  twelfth  chapters,  where  the  same  subject,  with  added 
details,  is  continued. 

1. — The  head  of  fine  gold. — This  without  doubt  represents  the 
great  Babylonian  kingdom.  It  is  likened  unto  fine  gold  because  it 
was  a  power  which  was  directly  set  up  by  God  himself.  "Thou,  O 
king,  art  a  king  of  kings ;  for  the  God  of  heaven  hath  given  thee  a 
kingdom,  power,  and  strength  and  glory.  Thou  art  this  head  of 
gold."  (vs.  36,  37.)  It  will  be  seen  from  these  verses  that  God  was 
as  really  ruling  in  this  Babylonian  kingdom  as  he  was  in  Israel, 
though  with  a  different  purpose  and  according  to  different  principles. 
How  vainly  do  the  kings  of  the  earth  fancy  that,  by  their  own  power 
and  might,  they  exercise  sovereignty !  This  great  golden-headed 
power  was  the  first  of  the  so-called  universal  empires. 

2. — The  breasts  and  arms  of  silver. — (vs.  32,  39.) — "And  after 
thee  shall  arise  another  kingdom  inferior  to  thee."  It  is  not  said 
that  God  directly  raised  up  this  kingdom.  It  is  clear,  however,  that 
he  allowed  it  in' his  providence,  and  directed  its  course.  All  inter- 
preters agree  that  this  was  the  Medo-Persian  empire.  It  was  inferior 
to  the  former,  both  in  the  extent  of  its  dominion  and  the  unity  of  its 
power.  The  appearance  of  the  arms  here  suggest  a  division  of 
power  which  was  true  of  that  great  dynasty.  Cyrus  was  the  great 
figure  in  this  kingdom,  who  was  succeeded  by  Cambyses,  Smyrdis, 
Darius  Hystaspis,  and  Xerxes. 


THE  GREAT   IMAGE.  173 

3.— The  belly  and  thighs  of  brass.— (vs.  32,  39.)— -"And  an- 
other kingdom  of  brass,  "which  shall  bear  rule  over  all  the  earth." 
This  kingdom,  it  is  universally  agreed,  was  that  of  Alexander,  the 
great  Macedonian  :  the  verse  in  question  representing  his  rapid  con- 
quest of  the  whole  known  world.  He  is  most  accurately  described 
by  Daniel  as  "a  leopard,  which  had  on  the  back  of  it  four  wings  of 
a  fowl ;  the  beast  had  also  four  heads,  and  dominion  was  given  to 
it."  (vii,  6.)  These  four  heads  accurately  describe  the  division  of 
Alexander's  kingdom  into  four  parts,  under  his  four  favorite  lieuten- 
ants :  Ptolemy,  who  received  Egypt  and  the  Mediterranean  coast ; 
Seleucas,  who  held  sway  in  Asia ;  Lysimachus,  who  was  appointed 
over  Thrace,  and  Cassander,  who  ruled  Greece. 

4. — The  legs  of  iron  and  feet  part  of  iron  and  part  of  clay. — 
(vs.  33,  40.) — "And  the  fourth  kingdom  shall  be  strong  as  iron; 
forasmuch  as  iron  breaketh  in  pieces  and  subdueth  all  things.  And 
where  thou  sawest  the  feet  and  toes,  part  of  iron  and  part  of  potter's 
clay,  the  kingdom  shall  be  divided."  It  is  further  expounded  that 
this  kingdom,  which  began  in  such  massive  strength,  shall  be  divided 
and  become  partly  strong  and  partly  weak,  or  what  we  call  brittle. 
"  They  shall  mingle  themselves  with  the  seed  of  men ;  but  they  shall 
not  cleave  one  to  another,  even  as  iron  is  not  mixed  with  clay." 
The  learned  are  divided  in  opinion  as  to  what  ihis  fourth  empire  or 
kingdom  represents.  But,  without  going  into  any  review  of  the 
various  opinions,  it  is  sufficient  to  say  that  the  weight  of  evidence 
points  clearly  to  the  power  of  Rome.  No  other  empire  arose  in  the 
world  after  the  dispersion  of  the  Macedonian  power  which  at  all  cor- 
responds with  that  colossus  of  the  West ;  for  Rome  was  as  iron  in  its 
rule,  crushing  and  breaking  all  other  powers  to  pieces,  and  subse- 
quently divided  itself  into  two  parts,  the  Eastern  and  the  Western, 
which  are  represented  by  the  legs,  finally  became  disintegrated  into 
smaller  kingdoms,  partly  weak  and  partly  strong,  having  an  element 
of  iron — monarchical  strength — mixed  with  much  weakness.  The 
endeavor  of  these  kingdoms  to  strengthen  themselves  and  maintain 
dominion  over  the  people  by  "mixing  the  seed  of  men,"  that  is,  by 
intermarriages  (see  Jer.  xxxi,  27;  Dan.  xi,  6,  17),  only  partly  accom- 
plished their  purpose.  This  process  is  going  on  in  Europe  now, 
which  represents  in  its  various  monarchies  the  dismembered  Roman 
Empire.  The  ten  kingdoms,  corresponding  to  the  ten  toes  of  the 
image  and  the  ten  horns  of  the  beast  described  in  chapter  seven,  at 
the  seventh,  twentieth,  and  twenty-fourth  verses,  have  not  as  yet 
formed  themselves.  The  process  of  dissolution  and  reformation  is 
still  going  on,  and  is  not  yet  finished.     Therefore  it  is  that  no  tabu- 


174  NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S   BREAM. 

lation  of  the  kingdoms  of  the  Western  world  can  be  made  to  corre- 
spond with  these  ten  toes.  However,  in  the  continual  changes  that 
are  taking  place,  these  ten  kingdoms  will  finally  emerge  and  corre- 
spond to  Daniel's  prophecy.  For  the  "dream  is  certain  and  the  in- 
terpretation thereof  is  sure."  (v.  45.)  The  attempt  of  Napoleon  to 
establish  a  fifth  universal  monarchy  was  defeated  and  brought  to 
naught  by  his  two  great  reverses  at  Moscow  and  Waterloo.  There 
shall  be  no  other  universal  kingdom,  that  is,  of  a  merely  world- 
power.  Man  has  come  to  the  end  of  his  strength  in  the  matter  of 
conquest.  Russia  may  attempt  to  succeed  to  universal  dominion, 
but  will  fail  even  as  Napoleon.  There  will  arise  a  power  in  this 
world  presently,  the  little  horn  of  Dan.  vii,  8,  11,  which  will  attempt 
the  conquest  of  the  world,  and  bid  defiance  to  the  power  of  God, 
but  it  will  be  overwhelmed  in  the  universal  destruction  of  world- 
powers  by  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  in  the  clouds  of  heaven 
(vii,  13),  which  event  corresponds  with  the  appearance  of  the 
"stone  cut  out  of  the  mountain."  The  children  of  God  are  now 
waiting  patiently  till  this  last  problem  of  the  world's  history  shall  be 
worked  out. 

II.— THE   STONE   OUT   OUT  OF  THE   MOUNTAIN. 

The  prophet  having  described  to  the  king  the  progress  of  the  suc- 
cessive world-powers,  through  four  universal  kingdoms,  now  takes 
up  the  interpretation  of  that  mysterious  event  which  he  saw  in  his 
dream :  A  stone  cut  out  of  the  mountain  without  hands,  which  first 
smote  the  colossal  image  on  its  feet  of  clay  and  brake  it  in  pieces, 
alike  the  iron,  the  brass,  the  clay,  the  silver,  and  the  gold,  and  then 
itself  increased  more  and  more  until  it  filled  the  whole  earth.  This 
he  declares  to  be  the  establishment  of  a  universal  kingdom  upon  the 
ruins  of  the  great  world-powers.  This  kingdom,  however,  is  not  a 
successor  to  the  former,  in  the  sense  in  which  the  four  kingdoms 
succeeded  one  another.  This  kingdom  had  no  part  in  the  image,  but 
was  different  in  its  origin  and  in  its  method  of  power.  "In  the 
days  of  those  kings  shall  the  God  of  heaven  set  up  a  kingdom  which 
shall  never  be  destroyed ;  and  the  kingdom  shall  not  be  left  to  other 
people,  but  it  shall  break  in  pieces  and  consume  all  these  kingdoms, 
and  it  shall  stand  forever."  (v.  44.)  This  is  not  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  but  the  kingdom  which  the  God  of  heaven  will  set  up  on  the 
earth.  It  is  that  Messianic  kingdom  which  is  the  theme  of  all  the 
psalms  and  the  prophets,  of  which  the  Jewish  Theocratic  kingdom 
was  the  prototype  and  prophecy.     This  is  the  kingdom  which  the 


THE    STONE   CUT   QUT    OF    THE   MOUNTAIN.  175 

great  Son  of  David  is  to  inherit  according  to  the  covenant  made  with 
David,  when  God  anointed  him  and  set  him  over  Israel.  It  is  that 
kingdom  about  which  the  disciples  were  so  anxious  when  they  asked 
the  risen  Lord  if  he  would  "  at  this  time  restore  again  the  kingdom 
to  Israel."  (Acts  i,  6.)  It  is  the  Millennial  kingdom  toward  which 
all  the  Scriptures  point,  and  which  is  the  theme  of  John's  revelation. 
It  is  the  kingdom  for  which  the  ancient  people  of  God  had  been  so 
miraculously  preserved  through  all  these  long  centuries,  amid  the 
rise  and  fall,  the  crash  and  ruin  of  world-powers,  as  they  have  suc- 
ceeded each  other  in  the  course  of  time.  We  can  only  note  some 
brief  outlines  of  the  course  of  events  in  connection  with  its  estab- 
lishment. 

1. — The  stone  cut  out  of  the  mountain  without  hands. — This 
stone  points  clearly  to  Christ.  "  The  Eock  of  Ages  "  (Is.  xxvi,  4) ; 
"  The  precious  corner-stone  "  (Is.  xxviii,  16,  17) ;  "  The  stone  which 
the  builders  rejected  "  (Ps.  cxviii,  22  ;  Matt,  xxi,  42  ;  Acts  iv,  11 ;  Eph. 
ii,  20;  I.  Pet.  ii,  4,  7.)  Daniel  identifies  this  mysterious  stone  with 
the  Son  of  man,  who  takes  possession  of  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth 
(vii,  13,  14) ;  John  does  the  same  thing  in  his  revelation.  (Rev. 
v,  9,  10;  xi,  15-17;  xiv,  14-16;  xvii,  13,  14;  xx,  4.)  Jesus 
clearly  appropriated  this  prophecy  to  himself.  (Matt,  xxi,  44 ; 
Luke  xx,  18.)  The  expression  "cut  out  of  the  mountain  without 
hands,"  clearly  indicates  the  supernatural  origin  and  character  of 
this  omnipotent  power,  which  was  to  break  in  pieces  all  these  world 
kingdoms,  take  possession  of  all  things,  and  establish  a  kingdom  for 
itself. 

2. — The  universal  and  everlasting  kingdom. — The  world-powers 
were  never  absolutely  universal ;  but  the  kingdom  of  Christ  shall  in- 
clude and  fill  the  whole  earth.  "  And  the  stone  that  smote  the  image 
became  a  great  mountain  and  filled  the  whole  earth."  (v.  35.)  It 
is  a  kingdom  which  shall  never  have  a  successor.  "  It  shall  not  be 
left  to  other  people,  and  it  shall  stand  forever."  (v.  44.)  "And 
there  was  given  him  (the  Son  of  man)  dominion  and  glory  and 
a  kingdom,  that  all  people,  and  nations  and  languages  should 
serve  him;  his  dominion  is  an  everlasting  dominion  which  shall 
not  pass  away,  and  his  kingdom  that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed." 
(vii,  14.) 

3. — The  suddenness  of  the  advent  of  the  stone. — There  is  no 
preliminary  movement  ascribed  to  the  stone.  It  seems  suddenly  to 
rise  up  and  smite  the  image  with  one  mighty  blow  that  shatters  it  to 
pieces.  It  is  not  a  gradual,  but  an  immediate  conquest.  There  is 
no  struggle  for  supremacy ;  no  long  conflict  ending  in  final  victory 


176  NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S   DREAM. 

"by  the  gradual  rise  of  power  and  increase  of  might.  This,  therefore, 
cannot  refer  to  the  slow  conquest  of  the  world  by  the  Gospel.  The 
stone  first  smote  the  world-powers  in  pieces  and  scattered  them  like 
chaff  from  a  summer  threshing-floor ;  then  it  went  on  and  grew  and 
filled  the  whole  earth,  and  there  was  found  no  power  to  oppose  it. 
This  must  refer  to  the  sudden  coining  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of 
man,  in  the  clouds  of  heaven.  (Dan.  vii,  13 ;  Rev.  i,  7,  13 ;  xiv,  14 ; 
compare  with  Matt,  xxiv,  30  ;  xxv,  31 ;  xxvi,  64.)  When  Jesus  comes 
again  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  he  will  destroy  all  the  organized  pow- 
ers of  this  world,  overthrow  Antichrist,  and  usber  in  the  glorious 
Millennial  period,  during  which  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  will  be 
gathered  under  his  rule,  and  the  vast  bulk  of  them  be  converted  to 
him  in  a  true  and  spiritual  sense.  But  some  will,  at  the  end  of  that 
period,  be  led  into  rebellion  under  the  lead  of  Satan,  who  will  be 
loosed  for  a  little  season ;  and  then  will  come  the  end,  when  the 
devil,  the  head  of  all  world-powers,  shall  be  finally  cast  out ;  the 
judgment  shall  be  set,  the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth  shall  be 
finally  inaugurated,  and  everlasting  glory  shall  be  upon  heaven, 
earth,  and  the  redeemed  people  of  God. 

Ill— THE  EFFECT  OF  DANIEL'S  INTERPRETATION. 

"When  Daniel  had  finished  his  interpretation  of  his  dream,  the 
king  was  so  profoundly  moved  by  its  majestic  truth,  that  he  fell  upon 
his  face,  and  having  worshiped  Daniel,  caused  that  oblations  should 
be  offered  to  him.  We  have  no  record  of  what  Daniel  did  when  this 
act  of  worship  was  paid  to  him,  but  no  doubt  he  rejected  it,  or  at 
least  fully  understood  that  the  act  of  worship  was  not  meant  for  him, 
as  it  certainly  was  not,  since  he  had  already  disclaimed  any  power  of 
his  own  to  interpret  the  dream  or  unfold  the  secrets  of  God.  (vs. 
27,  28.)  Moreover,  the  words  of  the  king  clearly  intimated  that  he 
meant  the  worship  to  be  for  the  God  of  Daniel,  and  not  Daniel  him- 
self. "  Of  a  truth  it  is,  that  your  God  is  a  God  of  gods,  and  a  Lord 
of  kings."  This  intimates  a  partial  conversion  of  Nebuchadnezzar 
to  the  true  God.  The  second  result  was  that  it  brought  to  Daniel 
power  and  authority  in  the  government  of  the  kingdom,  even  as  a 
similar  revelation  of  secrets  and  interpretation  of  dreams  brought  to 
Joseph  in  Egypt  great  power,  to  be  used  in  God's  service.  Thus  do 
we  see  how  God  takes  possession,  even  in  their  day  of  power,  of  the 
kingdoms  of  the  earth ;  so  far  at  least  as  is  necessary  to  carry  out 
his  purposes.  The  third  effect  was  to  lift  the  three  friends  of  Daniel 
also  into  places  of  great  eminence  and  usefulness.     What  a  lesson  is 


THE   EFFECT   OF   DANIEL'S  INTERPRETATION.       177 

this  for  the  encouragement  of  those  who  have  purposed  in  their 
hearts  to  be  true  to  God  in  the  world  where  they  are  placed  for  a 
testimony !  The  fiery  furnace  and  the  den  of  lions  may  yet  be  in 
their  path,  but  the  foundation  of  God  standeth  sure  ;  for  he  knoweth 
them  that  are  his,  and  is  able  to  deliver  the  godly  out  of  trial  and 
affliction. 


June  5,  1892' 


XXIII. 

THE    FIERY    FURNACE.— Daniel    iii,    13-25. 

(IS)  Then  Nebuchadnezzar  in  his  rage  and  fury  commanded  to  bring  Shadrach, 
Meshach,  and  Abed-nego.  Then  they  brought  these  men  before  the  king.  (14) 
Nebuchadnezzar  spake  and  said  unto  them,  Is  it  true,  O  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and 
Abed-nego  ?  do  not  ye  serve  my  gods,  nor  worship  the  golden  image  which  I  have 
set  up  ?  (15)  Now  if  ye  be  ready  that  at  what  time  ye  hear  the  sound  of  the  cornet, 
flute,  harp,  sackbut,  psaltery,  and  dulcimer,  and  all  kinds  of  music,  ye  fall  down  and 
worship  the  image  which  I  have  made;  well  :  but  if  ye  worship  not,  ye  shall  be  cast 
the  same  hour  into  the  midst  of  a  burning  fiery  furnace;  and  who  is  that  God  that 
shall  deliver  you  out  of  my  hands  ?  (16)  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego, 
answered  and  said  to  the  king,  O  Nebuchadnezzar,  we  are  not  careful  to  answer  thee 
in  this  matter.  (17)  If  it  be  so,  our  God  whom  we  serve  is  able  to  deliver  us  from 
the  burning  fiery  furnace,  and  he  will  deliver  us  out  of  thine  hand,  O  king.  (18)  But 
if  not,  be  it  known  unto  thee,  O  king,  that  we  will  not  serve  thy  gods,  nor  worship 
the  golden  image  which  thou  hast  set  up.  (19)  Then  Avas  Nebuchadnezzar  full  of 
fury,  and  the  form  of  his  visage  was  changed  against  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed- 
nego:  therefore  he  spake,  and  commanded  that  they  should  heat  the  furnace  one 
seven  times  more  than  it  was  wont  to  be  heated.  (20)  And  he  commanded  the  mest 
mighty  men  that  were  in  his  army  to  bind  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego,  and 
to  cast  them  into  the  burning  fiery  furnace.  (21)  Then  these  men  were  bound  in  their 
coats,  their  hozen,  and  their  hats,  and  their  other  garments,  and  were  cast  into  the 
midst  of  the  burning  fiery  furnace.  (22)  Therefore  because  the  king's  commandment 
was  urgent,  and  the  furnace  exceedingly  hot,  the  flame  of  the  fire  slew  those  men  that 
took  up  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego.  (23)  And  these  three  men.  Shadrach, 
Meshach,  and  Abed-nego,  fell  down  bound  into  the  midst  of  the  burning  fiery  furnace. 
(24)  Then  Nebuchadnezzar  the  lung  was  astonied,  and  rose  up  in  haste,  and  spake, 
and  said  unto  his  counsellors,  Did  not  we  cast  three  men  bound  into  the  midst  of  the 
fire  ?  They  answered  and  said  unto  the  king,  True,  O  king.  (25)  He  answered  and 
said,  Lo,  I  see  four  men  loose,  walking  in  the  midst  of  the  fire,  and  they  have  no 
hurt;  and  the  form  of  the  fourth  is  like  the  Son  of  God.— Daniel  iii,  13-25. 

In  the  first  chapter  we  have  seen  the  remnant  of  Israel  faithful 
and  obedient  to  God.  In  the  second  chapter  we  have  seen  the 
prophetic  victory  of  that  faith  in  the  coming  and  establishment  of 
the  kingdom  of  Messiah  after  the  final  destruction  of  all  the  heathen 
world-powers.  In  this  chapter  we  see  the  individual  pathway  of 
faith  through  a  world  alienated  from  God ;  we  see  the  necessity  of  a 
good  confession,  the  possibility  of  great  trials  in  the  service  and  king- 

178 


THE   FIERY   FURNACE.  179 

dom  of  God,  and  the  final  and  glorious  deliverance  which  God  will 
accord  to  the  faithful.  How  long  after  the  events  recorded  in  the 
last  chapter  the  setting  up  of  this  great  image  took  place,  it  is  im- 
possible to  tell.  The  presumption  is,  however,  that  several  years 
had  elapsed.  The  building  of  this  huge  image  to  the  favorite  god  of 
Nebuchadnezzar,  probably  the  god  of  battles,  was  most  likely  to  cel- 
ebrate and  commemorate,  with  suitable  splendor,  the  final  triumph 
of  his  arms  over  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  (v.  4. )  The  profound 
impression,  made  upon  his  mind  by  the  recalling  and  interpretation 
of  his  awful  dream  by  Daniel,  seems  to  have  faded  away,  since  we 
find  him  setting  up  an  image  of  gold  and  requiring  all  his  subjects 
to  worship  it.  Possibly  there  was  the  lingering  memory  of  that  head 
of  gold  in  his  mind,  so  that  he  made  this  image  of  that  precious 
metal ;  though  it  does  not  appear  that  he  constructed  the  image  after 
the  pattern  of  his  dream.  It  was  probably  an  entire  golden  image 
of  his  god  placed  on  the  top  of  a  column  or  obelisk,  since  the  propor- 
tions given  would  not  correspond  with  those  of  a  single  image  of  a 
man ;  namely,  ninety  feet  high  by  nine  feet  broad.  Having  set  up 
this  image,  he  published  a  decree  that  throughout  the  empire,  at  the 
sound  of  the  trumpet  and  the  reading  of  the  proclamation,  every  one 
who  heard  should  bow  down  and  worship  the  image  of  his  god.  The 
penalty  for  refusing  this  act  of  worship  to  the  idol  was  to  be  cast 
alive  into  a  furnace  of  fire,  which  seems  to  have  been  erected  near  to 
the  image.  This  was  a  tyrannical  act  of  uniformity,  intended  to  con- 
solidate the  religion  as  well  as  the  polities  of  the  empire.  We  do  not 
know  where  Daniel,  Ezekiel,  and  other  eminent  Israelites  were  at 
this  time,  or  how  far  the  mass  of  captive  Jews  complied  with  this 
decree  ;  but  it  seems  that  the  three  young  princes,  who  with  Daniel 
had  been  faithful  in  refusing  to  eat  the  king's  meat,  and  who  had 
been  subsequently  elevated  to  high  political  office  in  the  province  of 
Babylon,  refused,  or  at  least  failed,  to  do  homage  to  the  idol.  The 
Chaldeans,  a  class  of  wise  men  in  the  employ  of  the  king,  had  never 
overcome  their  chagrin  at  the  superior  wisdom  of  Daniel,  and  their 
jealous  hatred  of  these  Jews  who  had  been  elevated  above  their 
heads  in  political  power.  They  set  a  watch  upon  these  young  men, 
as  they  subsequently  did  upon  Daniel,  and  were  quick  to  report  to 
the  king  their  act  of  disobedience.  This  led  to  their  arrest  and  ex- 
amination ;  which  was  followed  by  their  bold  confession  of  faith,  and 
their  subsequent  execution  ( ?)  by  being  cast  alive  into  the  furnace 
of  fire. 


180  THE   FIERY  FURNACE. 


I.— THE   RAGE   OF   NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 

Nebuchadnezzar  was  at  the  summit  of  his  power ;  he  had  intro- 
duced a  great  statue,  in  the  form  of  an  image  of  his  god  of  battle,  to 
celebrate  his  universal  sovereignty  ;  his  decree  of  universal  obedience 
to  his  god,  which  was  also  an  act  of  homage  to  himself,  seems  to 
have  been  generally  obeyed.  The  defection  of  these  princes  from 
obedience  seems  to  have  reminded  him  that,  after  all,  there  were 
those  who  looked  beyond  him  and  higher  than  his  fancied  god  for  a 
true  king.  Perhaps  his  conscience  was  aroused  and  stung  by  the 
sudden  recurrence  of  his  former  dream  and  its  interpretation,  ac- 
cording to  which  he  was  to  be  succeeded  in  his  kingdom  by  another. 
Eastern  monarchs  were  not  celebrated  for  their  quiet  spirits ;  es- 
pecially on  such  an  occasion  as  this  he  could  brook  no  disobedience. 
There  were  but  two  courses  open  to  him.  He  must  either  at  once 
recognize  the  right  of  the  Hebrews  to  their  religious  liberty  or  he 
must  suppress  them.  To  do  the  former  would  be  to  unsay  and  undo 
all  that  was  involved  in  the  great  celebration  now  going  on ;  whereas, 
by  summarily  enforcing  the  decree  of  uniformity,  especially  upon 
the  persons  of  the  high  officers  of  state,  he  thought  he  might 
increase  his  power,  and  by  one  stroke  of  severity  bring  all  his  sub- 
jects unto  submission.  There  are  several  points  of  evidence  that  his 
conscience  was  aroused  as  well  as  his  anger.  "When  we  refuse  to 
obey  conscience,  we  are  always  apt  to  fly  into  a  rage  and  do  the 
thing  forbidden  by  conscience  with  ten  times  more  violence.  But 
we  see  in  the  rage  and  fury  of  this  king  a  fulfillment  of  the  second 
psalm,  which  shows  us  the  raging  of  the  heathen,  the  vain  imagina- 
tion of  the  people,  and  the  confederacy  of  counsel  by  kings  and 
rulers  to  put  down  the  worship  and  reign  of  the  Lord  and  his 
Anointed.  This  king  of  Babylon  is  only  the  type  of  all  the  world- 
powers  that  have  succeeded  him,  who  have  been  enraged  against  the 
faith  of  God's  elect,  and  have  sought  to  destroy  that  faith  by  violence. 
The  deliverance  and  victory  of  the  children  of  faith  in  this  incident 
is  also  the  typical  prophecy  of  the  final  triumph  of  Christ  in  the  per- 
son of  his  saints  over  all  the  oppositions  and  persecutions  of  the  un- 
godly world. 

1- — The  arrest  of  the  three  princes. — "  Then  they  brought  these 
men  before  the  king."  How  often  since  have  the  children  of  faith 
been  accused  and  brought  before  kings  and  their  magistrates,  to  give 
an  account  of  their  faith  and  answer  for  their  disobedience  to  some 
ungodly  and  tyrannical  decree  uttered  for  the  purpose  of  destroying 


THE   RAGE   OF   NEBUCHADNEZZAR.  181 

the  "faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints."  Since  the  time  of  these 
princes  millions  have  followed  in  their  footsteps,  and  have  answered 
as  boldly  as  they.  Jesus  warned  his  disciples  that  in  the  conflict  of 
their  faith  with  heathenism,  they  should  "be  brought  before  gov- 
ernors and  kings  for  his  sake,  for  a  testimony  against  them  and  the 
Gentiles."  (Matt,  x,  18.)  The  very  means  of  which  heathen  kings 
make  use  to  suppress  the  faith,  is  made  the  instrument  of  God  for 
its  universal  spread. 

2. — The  fearful  alternative.— The  king  seems  after  all  to  have 
greatly  respected  these  princes,  and  secretly  desired  to  find  a  way  of 
escape  for  them.  The  sight  of  them  and  the  remembrance  of  their 
faithful  service  and  of  the  peculiar  marks  of  divine  favor  which  had 
been  bestowed  upon  them  for  a  moment  cooled  down  his  rage.  He 
asked  them  if  their  act  was  one  of  disobedience  or  a  mere  accident. 
"  Was  it  of  purpose?  (margin)  do  not  ye  serve  my  gods?"  "If  ye 
will  say  that  it  was  not  of  deliberate  purpose  that  ye  worshiped  not 
the  image  I  have  set  up,  and  will  now  do  it,  it  shall  be  well  with  you ; 
but  if  ye  worship  not,  in  the  same  hour  ye  shall  be  cast  into  the  burn- 
ing fiery  furnace."  Here  was  a  fearful  temptation,  at  least  in  its 
form.  How  many  have  faced  it  since  ;  how  many  are  even  now  ready 
to  face  it  if  the  crisis  should  come  to  them?  No  doubt  there  are  as 
many  hidden  heroes  now  as  ever ;  it  only  needs  the  emergency  to 
bring  out  the  slumbering  martyr  faith  of  what  seems  now  a  sleeping 
Church.  These  young  men  probably  had  counted  the  cost,  and  were 
ready  to  accept  the  alternative.  Deny  God  they  could  not,  go  into 
a  fiery  furnace  they  could,  and  were  ready  to  do  so.  That  could  but 
destroy  their  bodies,  whereas  a  deliberate  act  of  apostasy  would  de- 
stroy their  souls. 

3.— The  vain  boast  of  the  king.— "And  who  is  that  God  that 
shall  deliver  you  out  of  my  Uands  ?  "  This  bit  of  vain  boasting  re- 
minds us  of  the  speech  of  Pharaoh  to  Moses  :  "  Who  is  Jehovah  that 
I  should  obey  his  voice  to  let  Israel  go  ?  I  know  not  Jehovah,  neither 
will  I  let  Israel  go."  (Ex.  v,  2.)  Also  of  the  defiant  proclamation  of 
Sennacherib  to  Hezekiah  and  Jerusalem  :  "  Who  are  they  among  all 
the  gods  of  the  countries  that  have  delivered  their  country  out  of 
mine  hand,  that  the  Lord  should  deliver  Jerusalem  out  of  mine 
hand? "  (II.  Kings,  xviii,  35.)  And  yet  God  destroyed  Pharaoh,  and 
put  a  hook  in  Sennacherib's  nose  by  which  he  led  him  in  ignominy 
back  to  his  own  city,  to  perish  miserably  at  the  hands  of  his  sons. 
How  empty  the  boasts,  how  unbounded  the  folly  of  men  who  chal- 
lenge Jehovah  to  conflict !  The  apostate  Julien,  when  dying  on  the 
battle-field  fighting  against  God  and  Christ,  exclaimed  truly :    "  O 


182  THE   FIERY   FURNACE. 

Galilean,  thou  hast  conquered  !  "  So  must  every  representative  of 
powers  arrayed  against  God  and  his  Christ  finally  confess  his  su- 
premacy. 

II.— THE   DEFENSE   OF   THE   PRINCES. 

We  are  reminded  at  once  of  the  various  scenes  of  this  kind  that 
have  been  subsequently  enacted  in  connection  with  this  world-old 
battle  between  faith  and  the  powers  of  the  earth ;  of  the  apostles  be- 
fore the  rulers  of  the  Jews,  of  Paul  before  Agrippa,  and  later  before 
Nero  ;  of  hundreds  and  thousands  of  Christians,  before  all  manner  of 
princes  and  kings  arraigned  on  account  of  their  faith ;  not  to  speak 
of  Jesus  himself  before  the  Sanhedrin  and  Pilate.  The  scene  is 
thrillingly  beautiful  and  suggestive. 

1. — Not  careful  to  answer. — "O  Nebuchadnezzar,  we  are  not 
careful  to  answer  thee  in  this  matter."  Had  the  Holy  Spirit  already 
whispered  in  their  hearts  the  instruction  which  Jesus  afterward  gave 
his  disciples?  "When  they  deliver  you  up,  take  no  thought  how  or 
what  ye  shall  speak,  for  it  shall  be  given  you,  in  that  same  hour, 
what  ye  shall  speak."  (Matt  x,  19.)  How  calmly  these  young  men 
stood  there  before  the  king  !  "  We  have  no  defense  to  make  other 
than  that  we  have  not  bowed  down  to  your  image.  God  will  answer 
for  us  when  the  emergency  comes.  We  have  committed  our  cause 
to  him.  Argument  will  not  avail  against  your  arbitrary  power  over 
us,  or  against  the  injustice  of  your  tyrannical  decree.  We  submit 
our  case  not  to  you,  but  to  the  God  whom  you  have  so  boastfully 
challenged,  and  will  abide  the  result  of  the  trial."  This  was  the 
spirit  in  which  they  met  the  king.  They  were  not  afraid  of  the  king, 
because  they  had  confidence  in  God. 

2. — Their  confession  of  faith. — "Our  God  whom  we  serve."  In 
making  their  answer,  they  distinctly  announced  that  they  believed 
in  the  one  only  and  true  God,  and  him  they  served.  This  was  their 
justification  for  not  bowing  down  to  the  idol  which  the  king  had  set 
up,  nor  worshiping  any  of  his  gods.  Their  faith  was  not  speculative, 
but  real.  It  dominated  their  lives,  and  secured  their  glad  service. 
Their  confession  was  like  that  of  Paul  before  the  centurion  on  his 
way  to  Rome  at  the  time  of  the  shipwreck :  "  Wherefore,  sirs,  I  be- 
lieve in  God  .  .  .  whose  I  am  and  whom  I  serve."  (Acts  xxvii, 
23-25.)  The  man  who  has  a  real  faith  will  confess  it  under  any 
circumstances  if  called  upon  to  do  so,  and  that  without  fear  of  con- 
sequences. The  full  power  of  faith  does  not  always  manifest  itself 
until  the  time  of  need  comes,  but,  when  once  the  emergency  arises, 
faith  springs  to  the  fore  and  asserts  itself. 


IN    THE   FURNACE   AND   OUT   AGAIN.  183 

3. — Their  confidence  in  God. — "  If  it  be  so,  our  God  is  able  to 
deliver  us  from  the  burning  fiery  furnace,  and  he  will  deliver  us  out 
of  thine  hand,  O  king."  Notice  this,  that  though  their  faith  was  ab- 
solute as  to  God  himself  and  their  relation  to  him,  yet  it  was  not 
absolute  as  to  their  deliverance  out  of  the  fiery  furnace,  only  as  to 
God's  ability  to  deliver  them.  Of  that  they  were  sure ;  and  so  were 
willing  to  leave  the  fact  of  their  deliverance  from  the  fire  to  God's 
will.  They  were  sure,  however,  that  in  any  case  God  would  deliver 
them  out  of  the  king's  hand.  Even  if  they  did  not  come  out  of  the 
furnace  alive,  they  would,  through  death,  be  delivered  out  of  the 
hand  of  the  tyrannical  despot  by  his  own  action.  They  anticipated 
in  their  faith  another  saying  of  Jesus  :  "Be  not  afraid  of  them  that 
kill  the  body,  and  after  that  have  no  more  that  they  can  do."  (Luke 
xii,  4. )  It  has  been,  and  always  must  be,  the  weakness  of  the  world- 
powers  in  their  battle  with  God,  that  they  cannot  follow  the  saints 
into  the  other  world,  to  continue  their  persecution.  An  old  martyr 
once  said,  in  the  face  of  threatening  persecutors  :  "  You  cannot  con- 
fiscate my  possessions,  for  I  have  laid  up  my  treasure  in  heaven ;  you 
cannot  banish  me,  for  my  Lord  hath  said,  '  Lo,  I  am  with  you  always,' 
and  where  he  is  with  me,  I  am  always  at  home ;  you  cannot  kill  me, 
for  I  have  been  dead  these  forty  years,  and  my  life  is  hid  with  Christ 
in  God."  Thus  it  is ;  in  any  case  the  true  confessor  of  Christ  is 
always  sure  of  deliverance  either  in  this  world  or  of  release  out  of 
the  hands  of  enemies  into  God's  other  world. 

4. — Ready  to  die. — If  the  worst  came  to  the  worst,  they  were 
quite  ready  to  die.  If  God  did  not  deliver  them  out  of  the  flame, 
they  were  ready  to  find  in  the  flame  a  pathway  to  glory.  It  was  not 
necessary  for  them  to  live ;  it  is  not  necessary  for  any  of  us  to 
live.  It  is,  however,  necessary  for  us  to  be  true  to  God  when  we  are 
called  upon  to  witness  for  him.  They  therefore  counted  not  their 
lives  dear  to  themselves  ;  and  so  laid  their  case  to  rest  with  this  brave 
declaration  :  "  We  will  not  serve  thy  gods,  nor  worship  the  golden 
image  which  thou  hast  set  up."  Let  us  take  that  stand,  and  we  arc 
always  sure  of  victory.  God  will  never  desert  the  soul  that  thus 
honors  him. 

in.— IN  THE  FURNACE  AND  OUT  AGAIN. 

God  does  not  promise  his  saints  immunity  from  suffering  in 
this  world;  on  the  other  hand,  he  tell  us  that  he  has  chosen  us 
in  a  furnace  of  affliction.  Jesus  told  his  disciples  that  they  must 
expect  the  hatred  of  the  world,  and  that  bonds,  imprisonment,  and 


184  THE   FIERY  FURNACE. 

death  awaited  them.  They  were  in  this  life  like  sheep  among 
wolves.  But  what  God  does  promise  is  that,  "in  all  their  afflic- 
tions "  he  will  be  "  afflicted  "  ;  that  is,  that  he  will  not  leave  them  to 
suffer  alone,  or  without  the  help  and  presence  of  his  sympathy  and 
grace  ;  and  that  no  suffering  which  they  may  endure  for  his  sake  will 
be  a  final  loss  to  them.  "  The  light  afflictions  which  endure  for  a 
moment,  work  out  for  them  a  far  more  exceeding  abundant  weight 
of  glory." 

1. — The  princes  are  cast  into  the  furnace. — Upon  their  noble 
answer,  and  their  declaration  that  in  no  event  would  they  obey  the 
command  of  the  king,  he  fell  into  another  fury  of  wrath  and  rage, 
and  ordered  the  three  young  men  to  be  bound  as  they  were,  in  their 
splendid  official  robes  of  state,  and  cast  into  the  fiery  furnace,  which 
in  the  meantime  was  being  replenished  with  fresh  heat.  They  were 
beyond  the  help  of  earthly  power.  Three  mighty  men  of  strength 
lifted  them  bodily,  carried  them  to  the  door  of  the  furnace,  and  flung 
them  in ;  so,  bound  as  they  were,  "  they  fell  down  into  the  midst  of 
the  burning  fiery  furnace." 

2. — An  awful  warning. — Now  a  strange  thing  happened.  As  the 
three  men  who  bore  these  princes  to  the  furnace  approached  the 
open  door  to  cast  down  their  helpless  victims,  a  sudden  draught  of 
air  sent  out  a  volume  of  flame  which  slew  them  on  the  spot.  God 
seemed  to  give  warning  then  and  there  that  it  was  a  dangerous  thing 
to  touch  his  saints  or  do  them  harm.  He  does  not  always  act  so 
promptly,  but  God  is  certain  to  avenge  his  elect ;  for  "  it  is  a  righteous 
thing  with  God  to  recompense  tribulation  to  them  that  trouble  you." 
(II.  Thess.  i,  4-11.)  He  has  forbidden  us  to  avenge  ourselves  be- 
cause vengeance  belongeth  to  him,  and  he  is  certain  to  repay.  (Heb. 
x,  30,  31.) 

3. — The  astonishment  of  the  king. — A  while  ago  he  was  in  a 
furious  rage  ;  now  we  see  him  trembling  with  astonished  fear.  Not 
only  did  the  swift  death  that  overtook  his  three  mighty  men  startle 
him,  but  as  he  looked  into  the  raging  flames  he  saw  a  wondrous  sight. 
Not  only  were  the  three  princes  walking  about  in  the  flame,  as 
though  the  fire  had  been  to  them  a  congenial  atmosphere,  but  there 
was  a  fourth  form  with  them,  of  such  splendid  and  glorious  appear- 
ance, that  he  spake  of  him  as  being  like  the  Son  of  God ;  that  is,  he 
was  a  god-like  man,  as  it  were,  an  angel.  Here  was  a  fact  on  which 
he  had  not  counted.  By  some  mysterious  power  the  young  men 
"had  quenched  the  violence  of  the  fire  (Heb.  xi,  34),  and  they  were 
accompanied  by  the  presence  of  another  man,  who  seemed  to  have 
them  under  his  protection.     He  called  his  counselors  and  declared 


IN   THE   FURNACE  AND   OUT   AGAIN.  185 

to  them  what  he  saw :  "  Lo,  I  see  four  men  loose,  walking  in  the 
midst  of  the  fire,  and  they  have  no  hurt ;  and  the  form  of  the  fourth 
is  like  the  Son  of  God."  It  is  not  necessary  for  us  to  attempt  any 
discussion  of  this  marvelous  miracle  of  deliverance.  Whether  there 
was  an  actual  and  objective  fourth  man  in  the  furnace  with  the 
three  princes,  and  whether  that  fourth  one  was  the  very  Son  of  God 
come  down  in  a  temporary  bodily  form,  as  perhaps  the  angel  of  the 
Lord,  or  whether  the  king  saw  a  vision,  is  of  no  material  importance. 
That  there  was  a  miracle  is  clear  from  the  fact  of  the  safety  of  the 
princes  in  the  flame.  There  is  nothing  antecedently  impossible  in 
the  literal  truth  of  the  whole  matter.  The  important  thing  for  us, 
however,  is  to  remember  that  God  is  present  with  his  people  either 
visible  or  invisible,  in  all  their  afflictions,  and  is  able  either  to  bring 
them  safely  out  in  this  world  or  conduct  them  by  the  fire  of  trial  to 
heaven.  Two  very  precious  Scriptures  are  suggested  in  connection 
with  this  event.  "  I,  even  I,  am  he  that  comforteth  you ;  who  art  thou 
that  shouldest  be  afraid  of  a  man  that  shall  die,  and  of  the  son  of  man 
which  shall  be  made  as  grass  ;  and  forgettest  the  Lord  thy  maker,  that 
hath  stretched  forth  the  heavens  and  hath  laid  the  foundations  of  the 
earth ;  and  hast  feared  continually  every  day  because  of  the  fury  of 
the  oppressor,  as  if  he  were  ready  to  destroy?  and  where  is  the  fury 
of  the  oppressor?  "  "  When  thou  passest  through  the  waters  I  will  be 
with  thee  ;  and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow  thee  ;  when 
thou  walkest  through  the  fire  thou  shall  not  be  burned ;  neither  shall 
the  flame  kindle  upon  thee."  (Is.  xliii,  2;  li,  12,  13.)  Let  me  add 
one  more  assurance  from  God's  word  for  encouragement  and  comfort 
to  the  tried.  "  For  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  over  the  righteous,  and 
his  ears  are  open  unto  their  prayers,  but  the  face  of  the  Lord  is 
against  them  that  do  evil.  And  who  is  he  that  will  harm  you  if  ye 
be  followers  of  that  which  is  good?  "     (I.  Pet.  iii,  12,  13.) 


Juno  13,  1893. 


XXIV. 

THE    DEN    OF    LIONS.— Daniel    vi,    16-28. 

(16)  Then  the  king  commanded,  and  they  brought  Daniel,  and  cast  him  into  the 
den  of  lions.  Now  the  king  spake  and  said  unto  Daniel,  Thy  God  whom  thou 
servest  continually,  he  will  deliver  thee.  (17)  And  a  stone  was  brought,  and  laid 
upon  the  mouth  of  the  den;  and  the  king  sealed  it  with  his  own  signet,  and  with  the 
signet  of  his  lords  ;  that  the  purpose  might  not  be  changed  concerning  Daniel.  (18) 
Then  the  king  went  to  his  palace,  and  passed  the  night  fasting  :  neither  were  instru- 
ments of  music  brought  before  him  :  and  his  sleep  went  from  him.  (IS)  Then  the 
king  arose  very  early  in  the  morning,  and  went  in  haste  unto  the  dt;n  of  lions.  (2C) 
And  when  he  came  to  the  den,  he  cried  with  a  lamentable  voice  unto  Daniel :  and 
the  king  spake  and  said  to  Daniel,  O  Daniel,  servant  of  the  living  God,  is  thy  God, 
whom  thou  servest  continually,  able  to  deliver  thee  from  the  lions  ?  (21)  Then  said 
Daniel  unto  the  king,  O  king,  live  for  ever.  (22)  My  God  hath  sent  his  angel,  and 
hath  shut  the  lions'  mouths,  that  they  have  not  hurt  me  :  forasmuch  as  before  him 
innocency  was  found  in  me;  and  also  before  thee,  O  king,  have  I  done  no  huit.  (23) 
Then  was  the  king  exceedingly  glad  for  him,  and  commanded  that  they  should  lake 
Daniel  up  out  of  the  den.  So  Daniel  was  taken  up  out  of  the  den,  and  no  manner  of 
hurt  was  found  upon  him,  because  he  believed  in  his  God.  (24)  And  the  king  com- 
manded, and  they  brought  those  men  which  had  accused  Daniel,  and  they  cast  them 
into  the  den  of  Jions,  them,  their  children,  and  their  wives;  and  the  lions  had  tne 
mastery  of  them,  and  brake  all  their  bones  in  pieces  or  ever  they  came  at  the  bottom 
of  the  den.  (25)  Then  king  Darius  wrote  unto  all  people,  nations,  and  languages, 
that  dwell  in  all  the  earth  ;  Peace  be  multiplied  unto  you.  (26)  I  make  a  decree, 
That  in  every  dominion  of  my  kingdom  men  tremble  and  fear  before  the  God  of 
Daniel:  for  he  is  the  living  God,  and  steadfast  for  ever,  and  his  kingdom  that  which 
shall  not  be  destroyed,  and  his  dominion  shall  be  even  unto  the  end.  (2?)  He  deliv- 
ered and  rescueth,  and  he  worketh  signs  and  wonders  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  who 
hath  delivered  Daniel  from  the  power  of  the  lions.  (28)  So  this  Daniel  prospered  in 
the  reign  of  Darius,  and  in  the  reign  of  Cyrus  the  Persian.- Daniel  vi,  16-28. 

Many  years  had  passed  away  since  the  three  Hebrew  princes 
had  been  cast  into  the  furnace  of  fire.  Several  kings  of  the  Babylo- 
nian dynasty  had  reigned  in  succession.  Daniel  had  been  in  high 
favor  with  some  and  out  of  favor  with  others  in  the  meantime.  It 
appears  from  the  last  chapter  (v)  that  he  had  been  living  in  almost 
forgotten  obscurity,  until  the  fearful  handwriting  on  the  wall  in  Bel- 
shazzar's  time  had  been  the  occasion  of  calling  him  back  to  court. 
Now  the  new  dynasty  of  the  Medes  and  Persians  had  come  in.  The 
head  of  fine  gold  had  given  place  to  the  breasts  and  arms  of  silver. 

18G 


THE   DEN   OF   LIONS.  187 

A  still  despotic  but  somewhat  less  autocratic  power  had  entered 
upon  the  stage  of  the  world's  empire.  A  strong  and  insolent  aris- 
tocracy was  practically  associated  with  the  king.  When  Darius  the 
Mede  entered  Babylon  and  took  possession  of  the  empire,  he  soon 
found  out  Daniel  and  learned  his  history.  We  can  easily  imagine 
the  long  interviews  the  king  must  have  had  with  this  aged  servant  of 
God,  the  most  accomplished  statesman  in  the  realm.  That  the  king 
was  profoundly  impressed,  both  with  the  character  and  abilities  of 
Daniel,  is  perfectly  evident  from  the  fact  that  he  was  made  the  chief 
of  the  three  presidents  who  were  set  over  the  kingdom.  "  This 
Daniel  was  preferred  above  the  presidents  and  the  princes,  because 
an  excellent  spirit  was  in  him ;  and  the  king  thought  to  set  him  over 
the  whole  realm,  (vs.  2,  3.)  The  precedency  given  to  Daniel  did 
not  suit  the  mind  of  the  other  presidents  and  princes  for  various  rea- 
sons. They  were  still  jealous  of  the  power  of  this  foreign  worshiper 
of  Jehovah,  and  doubtless  they  were  well  convinced  that,  so  long  as 
Daniel  had  the  final  authority  over  the  treasury  accounts,  there 
would  be  small  chance  for  them  to  enrich  themselves  at  the  expense 
of  the  king's  exchequer.  They  therefore  immediately  formed  a  plot 
for  Daniel's  overthrow.  They  perfectly  understood  that  they  could 
not  sustain  any  ordinary  charge  against  this  man  of  blameless  char- 
acter and  spotless  integrity.  So  they  resorted  to  craft.  They  made 
a  proposition  to  the  king,  blasphemous  as  it  was,  well  calculated  to 
flatter  the  vanity  of  the  king.  If  Daniel  was  to  be  caught  at  all,  it 
must  be  through  his  religious  fidelity.  They  knew  his  history  and 
habits.  In  securing  the  decree  forbidding  that  any  one  should  make 
any  petition  to  God  or  man  for  the  space  of  thirty  days,  save  only 
to  the  king,  they  were  perfectly  certain  that  they  excluded  Daniel 
from  obedience  to  the  king.  The  king  was  carelessly  tricked  into 
signing  the  decree ;  and  then  the  presidents  and  the  princes  made 
haste  to  set  a  watch  upon  Daniel  As  usual,  when  the  hours  oc- 
curred at  which  he  was  accustomed  to  open  his  windows  and  pray 
with  his  face  toward  Jerusalem,  Daniel  was  found  at  his  devotions, 
as  calmly  and  deliberately  as  1  hough  no  such  decree  had  ever  been 
signed.  It  was  in  no  spirit  of  defiance  that  he  acted  thus.  He  knew 
perfectly  well  that  a  trap  had  been  set  for  him,  and  he  knew  that  he 
would  be  taken,  but  he  was  too  old  a  servant  and  too  faithful  a  wor- 
shiper of  Jehovah  to  be  moved  from  his  steadfastness.  No  thought 
of  evading  the  decree  by  resorting  to  private  prayer,  or  closing  his 
windows  and  pretending  to  obey  the  decree  of  the  king,  ever  entered 
his  mind.  The  light  that  had  shone  so  steadfastly  and  brilliantly 
in  that  great  city  for  more  than  sixty  years  was  not  no.w  to  be  hid- 


188  THE   DEN   OF   LIONS. 

den  under  a  bushel.  He  disdained  to  condescend  to  unworthy  com- 
promises or  cowardly  evasions.  This  his  enemies  had  counted  upon, 
and  as  soon  as  they  had  proof  of  his  faithfulness  to  his  God,  they 
rushed  off  in  eager  haste,  and  "by  a  nattering  speech  to  the  king,  in 
which  they  laid  the  facts  of  Daniel's  disobedience  to  the  royal  decree 
before  him,  they  added  the  charge  of  contemptuous  motives  to 
Daniel.  "  That  Daniel  which  is  of  the  children  of  the  captivity  of 
Judah,  regardeth  not  thee,  O  king,  nor  the  decree  that  thou  hast 
signed,  but  maketh  his  petition  three  times  a  day."  Then  it  was 
that  the  king  saw  how  he  had  been  made  a  dupe  and  cat's-paw  by 
his  courtiers,  was  sore  displeased  with  himself,  and  at  once  began  to 
devise  some  plan  by  which  he  might  deliver  Daniel  and  yet  preserve 
the  letter  of  the  unchangeable  decree.  All  day  long  he  labored  at 
this  problem,  till  the  princes  and  presidents  becoming  alarmed,  made 
another  rush  for  the  king  and  reminded  him  that  the  decree  was  ab- 
solute and  could  not  be  evaded.  The  king  had  to  give  in.  Here  in- 
deed was  a  lamentable  spectacle.  A  man  who  was  nominally  the 
autocrat  of  the  world ;  who  had  but  yesterday  published  a  decree 
which  shut  up  every  temple  in  the  land  for  thirty  days,  silenced 
every  prayer,  and  dethroned  all  the  gods  in  his  own  favor,  now  saw 
himself  the  dupe  of  wily  politicians,  a  helpless  victim  and  prisoner 
to  his  own  decree.  He  was  unable  to  deliver  his  most  favored  and 
trusted  servants  out  of  the  hands  of  these  wicked  men,  because  he 
had  himself  first  delivered  himself  to  them. 

I.— DANIEL   DELIVERED   TO   THE   LIONS. 

In  the  delivery  of  Daniel,  to  be  cast  into  the  den  of  lions,  we  are 
reminded  at  once  of  the  similar  fate  which  befell  the  three  young 
princes,  his  early  friends.  Yet  both  the  case  and  the  circumstances 
were  different.  In  the  case  of  the  three,  the  king  was  wroth  himself 
and  willingly  cast  them  into  the  furnace.  In  Daniel's  case,  the  king 
was  wroth  with  himself,  and  would  gladly  have  delivered  Daniel  out 
of  the  hands  of  his  enemies.  In  the  former  case,  the  king  was  an 
absolute  autocrat,  even  over  his  own  laws,  and  could  have  set  them 
aside  at  his  will,  had  he  chosen  so  to  do ;  but  in  this  case,  the  king, 
according  to  the  custom  of  his  dynasty,  was  bound  by  his  own  laws, 
and  might  not  abolish  or  alter  them.  Darius  had  been  more  boastful 
in  the  decree  which  made  him  god  for  thirty  days,  than  had  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, who  only  ordered  that  his  god  should  be  worshiped  by 
everybody ;  yet  he  had  less  power  than  his  more  modest  predecessor. 
We  cannot  but  reflect  on  the  latent  sarcasm  involved  in  the  boasted 


DANIEL   DELIVERED   TO   THE  LIONS.  189 

despotic  power  of  earthly  monarchs.  Their  power  is  always  abso- 
lute to  do  evil,  but  limited  to  do  good.  Zedekiah  could  consent  to 
the  imprisonment  of  Jeremiah,  but  said  he  had  not  power  to  deliver 
him  out  of  the  hands  of  the  nobles,  his  enemies.  Herod  had  power 
to  deliver  John  the  Baptist  to  the  executioner,  but  no  power  to  save 
him  from  the  result  of  his  rash  vow.  Pilate  seemed  to  have  no 
power  to  save  Jesus  from  his  malicious  enemies,  but  had  power  to 
deliver  him  to  the  cross.  And  so  we  might  further  illustrate  this 
power  for  evil,  this  impotence  for  good,  when  it  is  vested  in  the 
hands  of  the  kings  of  the  earth ;  but  these  eases  will  suffice.  It  was 
thus  that  Darius  exercised  his  power  and  exhibited  his  powerless- 
ness,  when  he  ordered  Daniel  to  be  cast  to  the  lions. 

1. — The  king's  speech. — "  Thy  God,  whom  thou  servest  contin- 
ually, he  will  deliver  thee."  Thus  he  shifted  responsibility  from  his 
own  hands  upon  the  God  of  Daniel,  whom  he  had  denied.  So  per- 
haps Herod  hoped  that  somehow  John  the  Baptist  might  be  deliv- 
ered out  of  Herodias'  hands.  So  perhaps  Pilate  may  have  thought. 
First  he  hoped  that  Herod  might  relieve  him  of  responsibility,  and 
when  he  was  driven  to  decide,  he  decided  to  do  wrong,  trusting  that 
God  woidd  rescue  his  victim  out  of  the  danger  and  death  whereto  he 
had  consigned  him.  Darius  seemed  not  only  to  desire  that  God 
would  deliver  Daniel,  but  had  a  strong  hope  that  he  would.  Per- 
haps Daniel  had  told  him  how,  forty  or  fifty  years  before,  God  had 
delivered  his  three  friends  out  of  the  fiery  furnace  ;  for  Darius  seemed 
to  know  a  good  deal  of  Daniel  and  his  God.  But  this  good-will,  and 
even  this  gleam  of  faith  in  the  power  of  God  to  deliver  his  servant, 
did  not  excuse  his  own  evil  act  in  delivering  the  innocent  to  death. 
Suppose  Daniel  had  violated  his  decree ;  he  had  no  right  to  have 
made  that  decree ;  and  it  would  have  been  no  sin  for  him  to  have 
revoked  it,  any  more  than  it  would  have  been  sin  for  Herod  to  have 
canceled  his  vow  when  he  found  that  Herodias  had  challenged  it  for 
the  purpose  of  wreaking  vengeance  on  the  innocent  Baptist.  We 
may  not  count  on  God's  goodness  and  power  to  save  us  from  the  con- 
sequences of  our  own  wickedness.  If  God  does  interpose  to  frus- 
trate our  evil  doings  or  overrule  them  for  good,  that  does  not  make 
our  sin  the  less,  though  it  brings  equal  glory  to  God. 

2. — The  double  sealing  of  the  den. — "And  a  stone  was  brought 
and  laid  upon  the  mouth  of  the  den ;  and  the  king  sealed  it  with  his 
own  signet  and  with  the  signet  of  his  lords,  that  the  purpose  might 
not  be  changed  concerning  Daniel."  This  reminds  us  very  much  of 
what  the  rulers  of  the  Jews  did  when  Jesus  was  buried.  They  re- 
quired that  a  great  stone  should  be  rolled  over  the  mouth  of  Joseph's 


190  THE   DEN   OF   LIONS. 

tomb,  and  that  Pilate  should  seal  it  with  his  signet.  They  were 
afraid  that  he  might  rise  again ;  though  they  pretended  that  they 
were  only  afraid  that  his  disciples  would  steal  his  body  and  give  out 
that  he  was  raised  again.  Did  these  lords  fear  that  somehow  Daniel 
would  come  out  of  that  den  of  lions?  It  would  almost  seem  so. 
There  is  always  a  fear  in  the  heart  of  those  who  fight  against  God 
that  he  will  defeat  them.  They  were  afraid  of  the  king,  more  afraid 
of  Daniel,  and  yet  more  afraid  of  Daniel's  God.  Well  they  might  be. 
How  vain  is  the  fight  of  the  rulers,  and  the  kings,  and  the  people 
against  the  Lord  and  his  Anointed !  (Ps.  ii. )  There  is  in  this  in- 
cident one  of  those  adumbrations  of  the  resurrection  so  often  found 
in  the  Scriptures.  Abel  was  slain,  but  God  took  Enoch  to  heaven, 
showing  that  there  was  a  power  in  God  superior  to  death.  Isaac 
was  delivered  to  death,  but  God  in  a  figure  raised  him  from  the  dead. 
(Gen.  xxii.)  Joseph's  brethren  cast  him  into  the  pit ;  but  God  by  his 
providence  rescued  him  and  set  him  on  the  throne  of  Egypt,  to  save 
his  very  murderers  from  famine.  Moses  was  cast  into  the  river  to 
die,  but  God  procured  his  rescue.  Jonah  was  buried  in  the  belly  of 
the  great  fish,  but  he  came  forth  alive  again.  All  these  hints  and 
foreshadowings  were  wonderfully  and  naturally  fulfilled  when  God 
raised  up  Jesus,  whom  the  Jews  crucified. 

II.— THE   DISTRESS  OF   THE   KING. 

Having  abdicated  his  autocratic  power  to  his  nobles,  in  order  to 
carry  out  his  ill-advised  decree,  and  having  refused  to  take  the  real 
power  that  he  had  to  frustrate  their  evil  and  wicked  purpose,  by 
which  he  was  used  to  destroy  his  friend  and  most  faithful  servant, 
the  king,  in  great  agony  of  mind,  returned  to  the  palace  to  spend  a 
very  bad  night. 

1. — A  troubled  conscience. — "The  king  went  to  his  palace  and 
spent  the  night  fasting;  and  his  sleep  went  from  him."  It  was  well 
that  he  did  so ;  though  it  had  been  better  had  he  boldly  delivered 
Daniel.  How  often,  when  we  weakly  yield  to  sin,  and  suffer  the 
torture  of  an  offended  conscience,  we  try  to  compensate  for  our  sin 
by  some  acts  of  self-denial.  If  the  fasting  was  a  sign  of  repentance, 
it  was  well ;  but  if  it  was  simply  to  ease  the  pain  of  conscience,  and 
seek  in  that  way  to  atone  for  the  evil,  it  was  a  mere  mockery.  Let 
us  hope,  from  the  subsequent  events,  that  during  that  night  in  which 
the  sleep  went  from  him,  the  king  was  coming  to  a  better  mind,  and 
determined  the  next  morning,  at  all  hazards,  to  deliver  Daniel,  if 
haply  he  were  yet  alive ;  yet  had  that  been  his  fixed  purpose,  why 


THE   DISTRESS   OF   THE  KING.  191 

did  he  delay  till  the  morning?  We  are  so  often  quick  to  sin  and 
slow  to  repent ;  prompt  in  doing  wrong,  but  dilatory  in  making  rep- 
aration. We  are  not  sorry  that  the  king  had  a  bad  night  of  it.  We 
have  had  bad  nights  ourselves,  and  know  how  he  felt.  On  the  other 
hand,  we  cannot  but  think  how  differently  the  night  was  spent  by 
Daniel.  His  couch  a  lion's  den,  his  companions  the  devouring 
beasts ;  yet  that  night  was  probably  the  happiest  night  he  had  ever 
spent.  Perhaps  he  anticipated  deliverance.  At  any  rate,  he  took 
with  him  into  the  den  of  lions  a  sublime  faith  in  God,  a  good  con- 
science, and  a  memory  that  was  busy  with  the  recollections  of  many 
years  in  which  he  had  proved  the  goodness  of  God.  Beside  all  this, 
there  came  the  angel  of  the  Lord  to  be  his  companion,  with  messages 
from  God  of  love  and  power  to  save.  Peter  slept  quietly  in  his  gaol 
while  the  angel  was  coming  to  deliver  him ;  and  Paul  and  Silas 
waked  the  prison's  echoes  with  nightly  song.  Happy  children  and 
servants  of  God,  who  can  be  at  peace,  can  sleep  soundly  or  sing 
gleefully  in  lion's  den  or  prison's  dungeon,  while  the  monarch  per- 
secutors spend  nights  with  tortured  consciences  in  their  splendid 
palaces ! 

2. — A  morning  drive. — "  The  king  arose  very  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  went  in  haste  to  the  den  of  lions."  He  could  not  spend  the 
whole  night  in  his  bed.  With  the  first  suggestion  of  dawn  he  was 
up  and  his  chariot  was  ordered,  and  he  drove  in  haste  to  the  place 
where  Daniel  was  quietly  reposing  with  the  lions  and  God's  angel. 
This  indeed  is  a  strange  spectacle,  for  the  monarch  of  the  world 
thus  to  be  attending  upon  a  condemned  servant  of  God.  Yet  the 
king  never  before  appeared  to  such  good  advantage.  He  could  not 
have  been  altogether  bad,  though  he  was  certainly  very  weak.  Paul 
required  the  magistrate  who  had  unjustly  imprisoned  him  and  Silas 
to  come  to  the  prison  and  openly  deliver  them.  The  Spirit  of  God 
working  in  the  conscience  of  Darius,  compelled  him  to  do  the  same 
thing ;  as  once  before  the  fear  of  Zedekiah  brought  him  to  the  dun- 
geon of  Jeremiah,  the  imprisoned  prophet.  God  knows  how  to  bring 
down  the  head  of  the  proud  as  well  as  how  to  lift  up  the  humble. 
The  king  was  happy  in  this,  that  his  repentance  came  in  time,  and 
he  was  permitted  to  see  his  evil  work  undone.  Happy  we  if  we  also 
may  always  repent  in  time. 

3. — The  king's  lamentable  cry. — "  O  Daniel,  servant  of  the  liv- 
ing God,  is  thy  God,  whom  thou  servest  continually,  able  to  deliver 
thee  from  the  lions  ? "  The  king  was  deeply  distressed  and  in  an 
agony  of  anxiety.  He  had  half  hoped  that  God  would  interpose,  but 
was  wofully  afraid.     So  he  cried  out  between  hope  and  fear.     The 


192  THE   DEN   OF   LIONS. 

king,  as  we  have  said,  must  have  known  much,  both  of  Daniel's  past 
history  and  much  of  Daniel's  God,  though  until  now  he  had  not  cared 
about  him.  He  had  admired  Daniel,  and  had  listened  to  the  old 
prophet's  teaching  concerning  Jehovah.  It  all  came  back  to  him 
now ;  and  he  was  both  ready  to  publicly  confess  the  excellency  of 
the  believer's  character,  and  the  dignity  and  sovereignty  of  the  be- 
liever's God.  In  this  "  lamentable  cry "  there  was  both  penitence 
and  acknowledgment.  What  a  splendid  character  he  gave  to  Daniel : 
"  Servant  of  the  living  God,  whom  thou  servest  continually."  He 
also  confessed  God  in  a  wonderful  way:  "The  Living  God."  Thus 
he  brushed  aside  all  the  pretensions  of  the  idol  gods,  and  gave  honor 
to  Jehovah.  Daniel's  teachings  had  not  been  in  vain.  They  were 
now  bringing  forth  a  good  harvest  in  the  heart  and  mind  of  this 
pagan  king.  " Is  he  able  to  deliver  thee? "  Perhaps  it  was  an  anx- 
ious question  :  "  Has  he  been  able  to  deliver  thee  ?  Has  thy  faith 
been  justified ;  art  thou  yet  alive  ?  " 

III.— DANIEL'S   TRIUMPH. 

That  must  have  been  a  welcome  sound  to  the  king's  ear,  when 
the  voice  of  Daniel  answered  back  in  clear,  calm,  and  humbly 
triumphant  tone,  "O  king,  live  forever."  It  must  have  smitten  him 
deeply  also  to  hear  this  noble  and  generous  wish  of  Daniel  for  him, 
who  had  but  yesterday  delivered  him  to  the  lions.  The  real  servant 
of  God  does  not  cherish  revengeful  feelings  against  his  enemies,  nor 
does  he  use  his  triumphs  to  upbraid  them.  Human  nature  would 
have  been  inclined  to  have  added  :  "But  no  thanks  to  you."  How- 
ever, Daniel  was  too  full  of  praise  and  thanksgiving  to  think  of  hu- 
miliating the  king,  or  casting  his  cruelty  and  injustice  in  his  teeth. 

1. — Praise  to  God. — "My  God  hath  sent  his  angel,  and  hath  shut 
the  lions'  mouths,  that  they  have  not  hurt  me."  In  this  he  takes 
pains  to  ascribe  his  deliverance  to  his  God.  Here  is  a  strong  em- 
phasis upon  the  fact  that  the  Living  God  is  not  to  be  confounded 
with  the  false  gods  of  the  heathen.  He  is  a  God  of  providence,  who 
watches  over  his  servants  and  keeps  his  promise  with  them.  Daniel 
had  trusted  in  him,  and  God  had  not  disappointed  him.  Long  ago 
David  had  sung  :  "  But  the  salvation  of  the  righteous  is  of  the  Lord ; 
he  is  their  strength  in  time  of  trouble.  And  the  Lord  shall  help 
them  and  deliver  them ;  he  shall  deliver  them  from  the  wicked  and 
save  them,  because  they  trust  in  him."  (Ps.  xxxvii,  39,  40.)  He 
told  the  king  how  he  had  been  spared.  God  had  sent  his  angel  to 
stop  the  mouths  of  the  lions.     Did  ever  one  of  the  gods  of  the 


THE  EDICT   OF   THE   KING.  103 

heathen  do  such  a  thing?  This  must  have  impressed  the  king. 
More  than  six  centuries  later  than  this,  an  inspired  writer  refers  to 
this  miraculous  deliverance  of  Daniel  as  one  of  the  great  achieve- 
ments of  faith  (Heb.  xi,  33  ;  with  v.  23) ;  "  because  he  believed  in  his 
God." 

2. — A  defense  of  his  innocency. — "  Forasmuch  as  before  him 
innocency  was  found  in  me ;  and  also  before  thee,  O  king,  I  have 
done  no  hurt."  Daniel  does  not  boast  of  his  goodness,  but  would 
set  before  the  king  that  the  favor  of  God  to  his  servants  in  such  a 
case  is  not  regardless  of  the  law  of  righteousness.  Daniel  had  hon- 
ored God  at  a  time  when  the  world-power  was  denying  and  deriding 
him.  He  had  not  feared  to  confess  him  in  the  face  of  death,  and  he 
had  lived  also  a  life  in  accordance  with  his  faith.  God  not  only 
vindicated  his  servant  and  the  law  of  righteousness,  but  his  own 
name  against  the  blasphemous  pretensions  of  man,  and  against  the 
claims  of  the  false  gods.  The  king  had  forbidden  prayer  to  any  god. 
Daniel  had,  in  disregard  of  that  impious  decree,  appealed  to  his  God, 
and  God  was,  in  a  sense,  bound  for  his  own  honor,  to  work  this 
miracle. 

3. — Daniel  delivered  out  of  the  den. — "  Then  was  the  king  ex- 
ceeding glad  for  him,  and  commanded  that  they  should  take  Daniel 
out  of  the  den."  Thus  was  Daniel  delivered  out  of  the  den,  and  out 
of  the  hands  of  his  enemies.  His  character  was  vindicated,  and, 
better  still,  his  God  was  magnified  and  honored.  The  terrible  pun- 
ishment which  the  king  ordered  to  be  inflicted  upon  the  accusers  of 
Daniel  and  the  leaders  of  the  conspiracy,  as  also  upon  their  innocent 
families — if  indeed  they  were  innocent  of  participation  in  the  sin — 
was  the  act  of  the  king,  and  was  not  instigated  by  Daniel.  More- 
over, it  was  contrary  to  the  law  of  God,  which  says :  "  The  fathers 
shall  not  be  put  to  death  for  the  children,  neither  shall  the  children 
be  put  to  death  for  the  fathers  ;  every  man  shall  be  put  to  death  for 
his  own  sin."  (Deut.  xxiv,  16;  II.  Kings  xiv,  6;  Jer.  xxxi,  29,  30; 
Ez.  ix,  10  ;  xviii,  20.)  Though  acting  on  a  righteous  impulse  so  far 
as  the  conspirators  were  concerned,  the  wild-beast  nature  was  not 
yet  wholly  out  of  the  king,  and  he  obeyed  the  savage  impulse  and 
cruel  practice  of  his  time  and  training. 

IV.— THE   EDICT   OF   THE  KING. 

The  effect  of  the  miracle  of  Daniel's  deliverance  on  the  mind  of 
the  king,  in  connection  with  all  the  teaching  he  had  had  from  Daniel, 
led  him  to  publish  a  decree  throughout  the  whole  world  proclaiming 


194  THE   DEN   OF   LIONS. 

God  to  be  the  Living  God  and  the  Universal  King,  rehearsing  at  the 
same  time  the  wonderful  act  which  had  inspired  this  decree.  He 
did  not  command  that  Daniel's  God  should  be  universally  worshiped, 
but  that  he  should  be  universally  regarded,  and  that  men  should  fear 
before  him.  The  proclamation  of  the  king  was  issued  at  the  time 
when  Peisistratus  was  tyrant  at  Athens ;  Servius  Tullius  was  reign- 
ing at  Rome ;  the  Carthaginians  were  in  great  power ;  the  commerce 
of  Tyre  and  Sidon  still  nourishing.  Pythagoras  was  on  his  travels 
gathering  material  for  his  remarkable  system  of  philosophy ;  the  dis- 
ciples of  Buddha  were  spreading  their  master's  doctrines  in  India ; 
and  Confucius  was  teaching  in  China.  Thus,  while  the  world-pow- 
ers were  reigning  in  both  religion,  philosophy,  and  politics,  the  God 
of  heaven  was  causing  his  testimony  to  be  spread  abroad,  that  the 
nations  might  be  without  excuse.  God  has  never  left  the  world 
without  a  witness  for  him ;  and  now  the  last  witness  is  being  given 
to  the  nations  by  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  When 
this  testimony  is  complete  he  will  take  to  himself  his  great  power, 
and  finish  the  work  in  righteousness  ;  he  will  set  up  his  King  upon 
the  double  throne  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  reign  therein  world  with- 
out end. 


June  19,  1S0J 


XXV. 

REVIEW   OR   OPTIONAL    LESSON. 


riflft 


June  26,  1893. 


XXVI. 

MESSIAH'S    REIGN— Psalm    Ixxii,    i-ig 

(1)  Give  the  king  thy  judgments,  O  God,  and  thy  righteousness  unto  the  king  8 
son.  (2)  He  shall  judge  thy  people  with  righteousness,  and  thy  poor  with  judgment. 
(3)  The  mountains  shall  bring  peace  to  the  people,  and  the  little  hills,  by  righteous- 
ness. (4)  He  shall  judge  the  poor  of  the  people,  he  shall  save  the  children  of  the 
needy,  and  shall  break  in  pieces  the  oppressor.  (5)  They  shall  fear  thee  as  /ong  as 
the  sun  and  moon  endure,  throughout  all  generations.  (6)  He  shall  come  down  like 
rain  upon  the  mown  grass :  as  showers  that  water  the  earth.  (7)  In  his  days  shall 
the  righteous  flourish  ;  and  abundance  of  peace  so  long  as  the  moon  endureth.  (8) 
He  shall  have  dominion  also  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  unto  the  ends  of  ihe 
earth.  (9)  They  that  dwell  in  the  wilderness  shall  bow  before  him ;  and  his  enemies 
shall  lick  the  dust.  (10)  The  kings  of  Tarshish  and  of  the  isles  shall  bring  presents  : 
the  kings  of  Sheba  and  Seba  shall  offer  gifts.  (11)  Yea,  all  kings  shall  fall  down 
before  him :  all  nations  shall  serve  him.  (12)  For  he  shall  deliver  the  needy  when 
he  crieth  ;  the  poor  also,  and  him  that  hath  no  helper.  (13)  He  shall  spare  the  poor 
and  needy,  and  shall  save  the  souls  of  the  needy.  (14)  He  shall  redeem  their  soul 
from  deceit  and  violence  :  and  precious  shall  their  blood  be  in  nis  sight.  (15)  And 
he  shall  live,  and  to  him  shall  be  given  of  the  gold  of  Sheba  :  prayer  also  shall  be 
made  for  him  continually ;  and  daily  shall  he  be  praised.  (16)  There  shall  be  a  hand- 
ful of  corn  in  the  earth  upon  the  top  of  the  mountains  ;  the  fruit  thereof  shall  shake 
like  Lebanon  :  and  they  of  the  city  shall  flourish  like  grass  of  the  earth.  (17)  His 
name  shall  endure  for  ever :  his  name  shall  be  continued  as  long  as  the  sun  :  and 
men  shall  be  blessed  in  him  :  all  nations  shall  call  him  blessed.  (18)  Blessed  be  the 
Lord  God,  the  God  of  Israel,  who  only  doeth  wondrous  things.  (19)  And  blessed  be 
his  glorious  name  for  ever  :  and  let  the  whole  earth  be  filled  with  his  glory.  Amen, 
and  Amen.— Psalm  lxxii,  1-19. 

This  psalm  is  that  which  closes  what  is  called  the  "  third  book  of 
Psakns,"  corresponding  experimentally  and  prophetically  to  the  his- 
torical book  of  Exodus,  or  Redemption,  and  shows  the  Lord  tri- 
umphant over  his  enemies  in  the  recovery  of  his  people  out  of  the 
bondage  and  death  inflicted  by  the  oppressor.  It  is  an  open  ques- 
tion whether  it  was  written  by  David  and  dedicated  to  Solomon  for 
a  coronation  psalm,  or  whether  it  was  written  by  Solomon  himself, 
as  an  expression  of  his  desire  for  his  own  reign  and  as  a  prophecy 
of  the  greater  reign  of  David's  greater  Son.  There  can  be  no  doubt 
that  the  first  significance  of  the  psalm  is  seen  as  an  expression  of 
prayerful  wish  for  the  righteous  and  prosperous  reign  of  the  king 
(Solomon),  who  was  also  the  king's  son ;  but  it  would  pass  all  pos- 

196 


CHARACTERISTICS   OF   MESSIAH'S   REIGN.  197 

ability  of  belief  to  consider  this  psalm  as  having  no  higher  reference 
than  to  Solomon.  There  are  expressions  here  which  were  never 
fulfilled,  in  Solomon's  glorious  reign,  and  which  could  not,  by  any 
possibility,  be  fulfilled  in  the  reign  of  any  mere  man,  be  he  however 
great  or  good.  For  instance,  no  kingdom  on  earth  ruled  over  by  a 
man  can  continue  as  long  as  the  moon  endureth ;  no  man  could,  by 
any  possibility,  so  reign  as  to  deliver  the  souls  of  his  people  from 
deceit ;  nor  could  any  mere  man,  however  great,  command  such  uni- 
versal dominion  as  is  here  prophesied.  Here  we  see  a  golden  age, 
indeed,  set  forth,  and  a  reign  that  could  only  be  possible  to  God 
himself.  Solomon's  glorious  but  brief  reign  came  to  an  end  in  un- 
righteousness and  disaster,  and  these  high  aspirations  and  prophetic 
expectations  were  far  enough  from  being  fulfilled.  In  the  reigns 
succeeding  that  of  Solomon,  after  the  division  of  the  kingdom  under 
Jeroboam,  the  pious  among  the  people  who  continued  to  sing  this 
psalm  (for  it  was  set  and  arranged  for  the  public  worship  of  Jehovah) 
must  have  looked  ahead,  guided  by  its  prophetic  light,  to  the  com- 
ing of  that  kingly  king's  son  who  should  fulfill  in  himself  the  high 
character  and  in  his  kingdom  the  noble  deeds  and  glorious  triumphs 
here  ascribed  to  him ;  who  should  for  himself  justly  secure  the  full 
measure  of  the  doxology  with  which  the  psalm  closes. 

I.— CHARACTERISTICS  OF   MESSIAH'S   REIGN. 

The  psalm  opens  with  a  prayer  for  the  redemption  of  the  former 
promises,  made  in  covenant  to  David,  that  they  may  now  be  ful- 
filled to  his  son.  "  Give  to  the  king  thy  judgments,  O  God,  and  thy 
righteousness  unto  the  king's  son."  The  significance  of  these  beau- 
tiful words  may  be  seen  by  reference  to  the  promises  made  to  David 
by  Jehovah :  "  And  thine  house  and  thy  kingdom  shall  be  estab- 
lished forever  before  thee ;  thy  throne  shall  be  established  forever." 
(II.  Sam.  vii,  13-16,  25-29.)  This  promise  made  to  David  at  the 
beginning  of  his  reign,  and  the  following  declaration  of  Jeremiah, 
long  after  David  and  Solomon  had  been  gathered  to  their  fathers, 
show  that  the  magnificent  forecasts  of  this  psalm  could  not  have 
been  exclusively  written  in  reference  to  Solomon.  "Behold  the 
days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  raise  unto  David  a  righteous 
Branch,  and  a  King  shall  reign  and  prosper,  and  shall  execute  judg- 
ment and  justice  in  the  earth.  In  his  day  Judah  shall  be  saved,  and 
Israel  shall  dwell  safely,  and  this  is  the  name  whereby  he  shall  be 
called,  THE  LORD  OUR  RIGHTEOUSNESS."  (Jer.  xxiii,  5,  6.) 
There  can  be  no  question  that  this  Branch  is  the  king  referred  to, 


198  MESSIAH'S   REIGN. 

and  of  course  there  is  no  doubt  that  Jesus  is  the  King.  A  part  ful- 
fillment of  this  prayer  is  seen  potentially  in  the  reign  of  Grace  in 
these  Gospel  times,  but  the  completion  will  not  be  until  he  come  the 
second  time  without  sin  unto  salvation,  to  take  unto  himself  his 
great  power,  and  overturn  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  This  psalm 
in  its  fulfillment  synchronizes  with  that  of  Daniel's  interpretation  of 
the  dream  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  when  he  saw  the  stone  cut  out  of  the 
mountain  without  hands  smite  the  great  golden-headed  image,  on  its 
toes  of  iron  mixed  with  potter's  clay,  and  after  grinding  it  to  powder 
and  scattering  it  as  the  dust  of  the  summer  threshing-floor,  increase  to 
the  size  of  a  great  mountain  that  filled  all  the  earth.  The  opening 
prayer  is  for  the  final  power  to  be  bestowed  upon  the  Messiah-King, 
to  the  end  that  he  may  fulfill  all  these  prophecies.  Then  follow 
some  illustrations  of  the  characteristics  of  Messiah's  reign. 

1. — Righteousness. — "He  shall  judge  thy  people  with  righteous- 
ness and  thy  poor  with  judgment."  This  is  everywhere  predicted  of 
the  Messiah.  "  And  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  rest  upon  him,  the 
spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding,  the  spirit  of  counsel  and  might, 
the  spirit  of  knowledge  and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord ;  and  he  shall  not 
judge  after  the  sight  of  his  eyes,  neither  reprove  after  the  hearing 
of  his  ears :  but  with  righteousness  shall  he  judge  the  poor,  and  re- 
prove with  equity  for  the  meek  of  the  earth."  (Is.  xi,  1-5 ;  xxxii,  1, 
17.)  Not  till  he  comes  whose  right  it  is  to  reign  will  there  be  on 
earth  a  king  whose  breath  shall  be  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  whose  judg- 
ments shall  be  based  on  an  absolute  knowledge  of  men,  independent 
of  the  sensual  judgment  of  sight  and  hearing.  Then,  and  then  only, 
will  the  people  have  righteousness  meted  out  to  them ;  then  only  will 
the  poor  be  perfectly  defended  from  the  oppression  of  the  rich. 
This  government  of  righteousness  shall  spread  abroad  to  the  whole 
land,  both  to  the  mountains  and  the  little  hills ;  it  sharll  penetrate  to 
every  obscure  corner  of  the  earth,  as  well  as  to  the  high  places  of 
the  mighty. 

2.— Strength. — Not  only  will  the  government  be  righteous,  but 
also  strong.  The  poor  shall  be  protected  from  the  oppression  of  the 
rich,  the  weak  from  the  overbearing  and  selfish  tyranny  of  the 
strong ;  and  the  children  of  the  needy  shall  be  rescued  from  all  the 
consequences  of  the  unequal  and  selfish  supremacy  of  the  mighty. 
But  more  than  that,  the  oppressor,  be  he  who  he  may,  shall  be 
broken  in  pieces.  Earthly  might  and  power,  wealth  and  station, 
will  no  longer  protect  the  oppressor  of  the  poor  and  needy,  the  weak 
and  obscure.  Might  will  no  longer  be  right ;  the  right  will  be  the 
might  of  this  kingdom.     But  beside  this  there  is  no  doubt  also  a 


CHARACTERISTICS   OF   MESSIAH'S   REIGN.  199 

higher  spiritual  reference.  The  poor  and  needy  among  the  ancient 
people  were  always  spoken  of  in  a  prophetic  or  typical  manner  as 
pointing  to  those  who  were  poor  in  spirit,  and  who,  because  of  their 
righteousness,  were  persecuted  by  the  wicked  and  ungodly.  In  the 
day  of  Christ's  reign  such  oppression  shall  not  only  come  to  an  end, 
but  the  saints  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  and  the  oppressor  shall  be 
cast  out  of  power.  "And  I  heard  a  loud  voice  saying  in  heaven, 
Now  is  come  salvation  and  strength,  and  the  kingdom  of  our  God 
and  the  power  of  his  Christ ;  for  the  accuser  of  our  brethren  is  cast 
down  which  accused  them  before  our  God,  day  and  night.'7  (Rev. 
xii,  10.)  One  of  the  most  pitiful  things  in  this  world  is  to  see  the 
poor  and  the  needy  turning  away  from  God  and  Christ ;  for  though, 
for  inscrutable  reasons,  God  does  seem  to  tarry  long,  yet  he  will 
surely  avenge  his  trusting  poor ;  and  certainly  there  is  no  power  on 
earth  that  will  champion  them.  They  may  combine  and  rebel,  but 
the  oppressor  must  always  win  the  fight  against  the  poor,  unless 
God's  power  be  invoked  and  given.  Even  in  this  life  and  during  the 
present  time,  it  is  rare  that  a  man  or  woman,  however  poor,  is  not 
better  cared  for  and  more  surely  protected,  by  reason  of  a  restful 
trust  in  his  God. 

3. — Gentleness. — This  great  king  shall  exercise  his  power  in  gov- 
ernment by  gentle  and  gracious  means,  rather  than  by  force.  "  He 
shall  come  down  like  rain  upon  the  mown  grass,  and  like  showers 
that  water  the  earth."  Not  with  the  sword  does  Christ  win  his  king- 
dom, nor  by  such  means  will  he  execute  righteousness  in  the  deliv- 
erance of  his  poor  and  in  the  breaking  of  the  tyrant's  power,  but  by 
the  almighty  strength  of  truth  itself.  The  poor  shall  be  taught  to 
trust  in  him  who  becomes  to  them  a  Sun  and  a  Shield,  and  who  will 
withhold  no  good  thing  from  them  that  walk  uprightly ;  the  oppressor 
shall  learn  to  fear  him  and  bow  before  his  authority.  If  they  are 
not  converted  by  his  word  of  grace,  then  they  shall  be  destroyed  and 
their  power  for  evil  broken  in  pieces  by  the  "breath  of  his  mouth." 
How  often,  in  the  course  of  this  Gospel  dispensation,  has  the  power 
of  the  oppressor  been  broken  by  his  own  conversion !  This  work 
will  be  completed  when  he  shall  come  to  take  the  kingdom  to  him- 
self. 

4. — Peace  and  prosperity. — As  a  result  of  righteousness,  power, 
and  grace  delivering  the  needy  and  overwhelming  the  oppressor, 
there  will  come  upon  the  earth  peace  and  prosperity.  "  The  mount- 
ains shall  bring  peace  to  the  people,  and  the  little  hills  by  righteous- 
ness." Men  of  all  kinds,  in  reconciliation  to  God,  will  be  reconciled 
to  each  other.     Where  righteousness  reigns,  where  the  poor  are  pro- 


200  MESSIAH'S   REIGN. 

tected,  the  needy  cared  for,  and  the  oppressor  cast  out,  there  is  no 
room  for  strife  and  contention.  This  great  king  is  the  Prince  of 
Peace.  Solomon's  peaceful  reign  was  a  forerunner  of  this  govern- 
ment. And  where  there  is  peace  there  must  ever  be  prosperity. 
The  prosperity  of  Messiah's  kingdom  will  be  both  temporal  and  spir- 
itual. He  shall  spare  the  poor  and  needy,  and  save  their  souls  from 
violence  ;  their  lives,  also  (their  blood),  shall  be  precious  in  his  sight ; 
the  dwellers  of  the  wilderness,  who  used  to  oppress  the  poor  of  God's 
flock,  will  come  and  bow  to  Jesus ;  and  the  earth  shall  share  in  this 
perpetual  amnesty,  and  "  there  shall  be  a  handful  of  corn  on  the  top 
of  the  mountains :  the  fruit  thereof  shall  shake  like  Lebanon ;  and 
they  of  the  city  shall  nourish  like  grass  of  the  earth."  "  The  kings 
of  Tarshish  and  the  isles  shall  bring  presents  ;  and  the  kings  of  Sheba 
and  Seba  shall  offer  gifts."  This  can  only  indicate  an  abundance  of 
every  supply,  both  for  the  people  in  country  and  city,  and  for  all 
purposes  of  state  and  kingdom.  This  glorious  state  in  a  small  de- 
gree was  seen  during  the  reign  of  Solomon,  and  what  could  be 
desired  more  in  any  kingdom  than  that  righteousness  should  be  per- 
fectly backed  up  by  strength,  that  strength  should  work  through 
grace  and  goodness,  not  by  fire  and  sword,  that  the  outcome  should 
be  peace  and  plenty.     Such  will  be  the  blessings  of  Messiah's  reign. 

IL— THE   EXTENT  OF   MESSIAH'S  REIGN. 

After  having  celebrated  in  this  hymn  of  prayer  and  prophecy  the 
characteristics  of  Messiah's  reign,  the  psalmist  further  sets  forth  its 
extent.  No  earthly  kingdom  has  ever  corresponded  to  it.  None  of 
the  so-called  world-powers  have  ever  actually  had  universal,  cer- 
tainly none  of  them  perpetual,  dominion.  But  see  what  the  prophet 
says  of  Christ's  kingdom  and  reign. 

1. — As  to  duration. — It  shall  be  an  everlasting  reign.  "And  he 
shall  live."  (v.  15.)  David  did  not  live  ;  neither  did  Solomon  ;  nor 
any  of  the  kings  of  the  earth.  All  have  died ;  they  have  indeed  been 
succeeded  on  the  thrones  of  their  own  kingdom,  but  their  dynasties 
have  never  lived.  But  Jesus,  as  the  Son  of  David,  lives,  and  shall 
live.  In  vain  the  powers  of  earth  and  hell  conspired  to  put  him  to 
death.  "I  am  he  that  liveth  and  was  dead,  and  behold,  I  am  alive 
forever  more."  This  expression,  "He  shall  live,"  without  doubt 
points  to  Christ's  resurrection.  Other  expressions  in  the  psalm  point 
to  the  endless  duration  of  his  reign  :  "  As  long  as  the  sun  and  moon 
endure,  throughout  all  generations."  "So  long  as  the  moon  endur- 
eth."    "  His  name  shall  endure  forever ;  his  name  shall  be  continued 


THE   EXTENT    OF   MESSIAH'S   REIGN.  201 

as  long  ns  the  sun."  All  these  expressions  point  to  the  fact  that  his 
kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom  and  his  dominion  from  genera- 
tion to  generation.  His  Kingship,  as  well  as  his  Priesthood,  is  in 
the  power  of  an  endless  life  :  "  He  asked  life  of  thee,  and  thou  gavest 
it  him,  even  length  of  days  forever  and  ever."  (Ps.  xxi,  4.)  "  Thou 
wilt  prolong  the  king's  life  and  his  years  as  many  generations ;  he 
shall  abide  before  God  forever."     (Ps.  lxi,  6,  7.) 

2. — As  to  subjects. — The  subjects  of  the  kingdom  of  Messiah 
shall  be  not  only  of  all  nations,  but  of  every  class  of  men  in  all  na- 
tions. Of  course,  the  poor  and  the  needy  whom  he  has  delivered, 
and  whom  he  helped  when  he  called.  It  shall  indeed  be  composed 
of  the  poor  and  needy,  of  all,  that  is,  who,  during  the  period  of  Gospel 
dispensation,  called  on  him  and  were  converted  by  his  grace  ;  but  dur- 
ing the  millennial  reign  he  shall  win  to  himself  all  the  rest  of  man- 
kind. "  They  that  dwell  in  the  wilderness  shall  bow  before  him, 
and  his  enemies  shall  lick  the  dust : "  they  shall  at  last  bow  impotent 
before  him.  His  grace  will  at  last  subdue  them.  "  The  kings  of 
Tarshish  and  the  isles  shall  bring  presents  ;  the  kings  of  Sheba  and 
Seba  shall  offer  gifts."  "Yea,  all  kings  shall  fall  down  before  him, 
and  all  nations  shall  serve  him."  The  wise  men,  supposed  to  be 
three  kings,  who  came  from  the  East  at  the  time  of  Jesus'  birth,  and 
brought  to  him  gifts,  gold,  frankincense,  and  myrrh,  did  but  fore- 
shadow the  universal  surrender  of  all  earthly  powers  to  his  sov- 
ereignty, mild  in  grace,  but  strong  in  righteousness. 

3. — As  to  its  territory. — We  have  already  remarked  that  none 
of  the  so-called  universal  empires  covered  all  the  territory  of  the 
earth.  Neither  did  that  of  Solomon.  Here,  however,  we  have  a 
statement  which  can  mean  nothing  less  than  absolute  and  entire 
sovereignty  over  the  whole  earth :  "  He  shall  have  dominion  also 
from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  to  the  ends  of  the  earth."  "And 
let  the  whole  earth  be  filled  with  his  glory."  Elsewhere  the  Script- 
ures abundantly  testify  by  the  inspired  word  of  prophecy  to  the 
universal  dominion  of  Christ.  Not  only  over  the  territory  of  the 
great  world-powers,  but  over  all  the  isles  of  the  sea.  Even  Arabia, 
which  has  never  been  conquered  by  any  of  the  great  powers  of  earth, 
shall  as  the  wilderness  come  in  under  his  government.  What  a 
heaven  this  earth  will  be  with  the  curse  removed,  all  wickedness  and 
evil  taken  out  of  the  hearts  and  lives  of  all  people,  when  the  lands 
shall  blossom  and  bloom  as  the  rose ;  then  the  wilderness  and  the 
solitary  place  shall  be  glad  for  him ;  waters  shall  break  out  in  the 
desert,  and  the  very  beasts  of  the  field  and  the  forest  shall  rest  at 
peace  each  with  the  others. 


202  MESSIAH'S   REIGN. 


in.— UNIVERSAL  ADORATION. 

Messiah  shall  rule  in  righteousness,  "  and  men  shall  be  blessed 
in  him,  and  all  nations  shall  call  him  blessed."  There  never  was 
such  king  on  earth ;  it  is  only  possible  that  One  such  king  could  be ; 
and  he  must  be  the  Messiah,  the  Anointed  of  Jehovah ;  who  is  Jesus 
the  Christ.  In  whom  else  are  men  blessed  as  in  Christ  Jesus,  who 
is  God's  gift  to  this  world,  "full  of  grace  and  truth."  "In  whom  we 
have  redemption,  through  his  blood  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  accord- 
ing to  the  riches  of  his  grace,  wherein  he  hath  abounded  toward  us 
in  all  wisdom  and  prudence."  The  adoration  of  the  subjects  of  this 
great  and  blessed  King  of  Righteousness  and  Peace,  takes  three 
forms. 

1. — Prayer. — "Prayer  shall  be  made  to  him  continually."  In 
him  shall  all  people  recognize  their  all-sufficient  supply.  Every  want 
shall  be  presented  to  him,  in  the  spirit  of  constant  and  humble,  yet 
confident  supplication,  and  no  good  thing  will  be  withheld  from 
those  who  pray.  To  earthly  kings  the  poor  and  the  needy,  the  dis- 
tressed and  the  oppressed,  make  their  prayers.  But  kings  of  the 
earth  lack  either  the  will  or  the  resources  out  of  which  to  grant  the 
prayers  of  their  subjects ;  but  here  is  a  king  who  knoweth  all  our 
needs,  and  who  is  able  to  supply  them  according  to  the  riches  of  his 
glory,  out  of  an  unwasting  fullness ;  with  such  discretion  and  love, 
too,  that  every  gift  shall  be  doubled  because  it  shall  bring  to  the  pe- 
titioner the  love  of  his  sovereign  and  a  guarantee  in  the  thing 
granted  that  it  is  good  for  the  asker  to  obtain  his  request.  In  that 
kingdom  the  subjects  will  be  glad  to  bo  constantly  dependent  on 
their  king,  and  will  feel  nothing  but  a  sense  of  honor  in  receiving 
gifts  at  his  hands. 

2. — Praise. — "And  daily  shall  he  be  praised."  Not  only  prayer, 
but  praise,  shall  be  given  him.  Eternity  will  not  be  too  long 
wherein  to  praise  him  who  shall  have  delivered  our  souls  from  death, 
from  the  deceit  and  oppression  of  the  wicked,  especially  from  the 
power  of  our  great  enemy,  the  devil ;  to  praise  him  for  the  unspeak- 
able blessings  of  forgiveness,  justification,  regeneration,  sanctifica- 
tion,  and  the  glory  that  follows.  Who  shall  be  able  to  estimate  the 
wealth  of  blessing  in  that  glory  where  "  eye  hath  not  seen  nor  ear 
heard,  nor  hath  entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things  which  God 
has  prepared  for  them  that  love  him."  The  earth  shall  be  full  of  his 
glory  and  vocal  with  his  praise.  Angels  sang  together  at  creation, 
but  in  this  glorious  day  of  redemption  and  the  full  triumph  of  Mes- 


UNIVERSAL   ADORATION.  203 

siah,  when  the  heavens  and  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  saints, 
then  even  angels  must  give  place  while  the  Redeemed  of  the  Lord 
chant  the  praises  of  their  great  king,  singing  ever  again  the  new 
song,  saying,  "  Worthy  art  thou  to  take  the  book  and  to  open  the 
seals  thereof ;  for  thou  wast  slain  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by 
thy  blood,  out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation, 
and  hast  made  us  unto  our  God  kings  and  priests,  and  we  shall 
reign  on  the  earth."  (Rev.  v,  9,  10.)  And  then  will  go  up  a  loud 
responsive  hosannah  and  hallelujah  chorus  from  the  voices  of  ten 
thousand  times  ten  thousand  and  thousands  of  thousands,  saying: 
"  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches, 
and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing." 
And  every  creature  which  is  in  heaven  and  on  earth  and  under  the 
earth,  and  such  as  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  shall 
say :  "  Blessing,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  him  that 
sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb,  for  ever  and  ever." 
(Rev.  v,  11-14.)  Let  us  see  that  each  of  us  fail  not  of  our  share  in 
the  song  of  the  redeemed  when  our  Saviour  shall  come  the  second 
time  without  sin  unto  salvation. 

3.— Gifts.— "  To  him  shall  be  given  the  gold  of  Sheba."  This 
seems  to  signify,  in  connection  with  vs.  10  and  11,  that  the  people 
will  themselves  be  a  free-will  offering  to  their  Lord  and  King ;  all 
that  they  are  and  have  shall  be  laid  at  his  feet  as  being  worth  noth- 
ing apart  from  him  and  his  blessing.  Who  shall  say  that  in  the 
age  of  glory  there  shall  not  be  vast  fields  and  unknown  opportu- 
nities for  the  employment  of  all  the  redeemed  and  sanctified  powers 
of  man?  O  that  all  his  people  now  upon  the  earth  who  have  tasted 
of  his  heavenly  grace  and  have  received  in  themselves  the  first-fruits 
of  this  day  and  age  of  glory,  would  with  one  accord  begin  to  make 
prayer  for  the  coming  of  that  day,  praise  him  for  present  and  past 
mercies,  and  bring  all  their  gifts  to  lay  at  his  feet,  and  make  of  their 
very  selves  a  free-will  offering  that  they  may  serve  him  with  a  per- 
fect heart  and  a  willing  mind ! 


July  3,  1893. 


XXVII. 

THE   ASCENSION    OF   CHRIST.— Acts   i,    1-12. 

(1)  The  former  treatise  have  I  made,  O  Theophilus,  of  all  that  Jesus  began  both 
to  do  and  teach,  (2)  Until  the  day  in  which  he  was  taken  up,  after  that  he  through 
the  Holy  Ghost  had  given  commandments  unto  the  apostles  whom  he  had  chosen. 
(3)  To  whom  also  he  shewed  himself  alive  after  his  passion  by  many  infallible 
proofs,  being  seen  of  them  forty  days,  and  speaking  of  the  things  pertaining  to  the 
kingdom  of  God :  (4)  And,  being  assembled  together  with  them,  commanded  them 
that  they  should  not  depart  from  Jerusalem,  but  wait  for  the  promise  of  the  Father, 
which,  saith  he,  ye  have  heard  of  me.  (5)  For  John  truly  baptized  with  water ;  but 
ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost  not  many  days  hence.  (G)  When  they 
therefore  were  come  together,  they  asked  of  him,  saying,  Lord,  wilt  thou  at  this  time 
restore  again  the  kingdom  to  Israel  ?  (7)  And  he  said  unto  them,  It  is  not  for  you 
to  know  the  times  or  the  seasons,  which  the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own  power.  (8) 
But  ye  shall  receive  power,  after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon  you  :  and  ye 
shall  be  witnesses  unto  me  both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Judea,  and  in  Samaria,  and 
unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth.  (9)  And  when  he  had  spoken  these  things, 
while  they  beheld,  he  was  taken  up  ;  and  a  cloud  received  him  out  of  their  signt. 
(10)  And  while  they  looked  steadfastly  toward  heaven  as  he  went  up,  behold,  two 
men  stood  by  them  in  white  apparel;  (11)  Which  also  said,  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why 
stand  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven  ?  this  same  Jesus,  which  is  taken  up  from  you  into 
heaven,  shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into  heaven.  (12)  Then 
returned  they  unto  Jerusalem  from  the  mount  called  Olivet,  which  is  from  Jerusalem 
a  Sabbath  day's  journey.— Acts  i,  1-12. 

The  book  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  is  unique  among  the  "books 
of  the  New  Testament,  as  being  the  only  one  which  relates  the  do- 
ings and  teaching  of  Christ  subsequent  to  the  completion  of  his 
earthly  ministry.  It  has  to  do  with  the  events  succeeding  the  resur- 
rection and  ascension  of  Jesus  up  to  about  the  year  A.D.  64.  It 
was  probably  written  several  years  later  than  that  date,  about  the 
year  A.D.  80,  in  the  opinion  of  most  scholars.  There  is  scarcely 
any  question  as  to  its  genuineness  and  authenticity.  Even  so  hostile 
a  critic  as  Kenan  allows  that  it  is  the  genuine  work  of  Luke,  the 
companion  of  Paul.  Our  business  is  not  with  questions  of  criticism, 
but  of  interpretation  and  teaching,  so  we  pass  by  this  point  with 
the  simple  reference. 

Luke  was  the  companion  of  Paul  in  most  of,  if  not  all,  his  mis- 
sionary journeys.     We  do  not  know  when  he  joined  him  or  how  he 

204 


THE   ASCENSION   OF   CHRIST.  205 

came  to  be  so  intimately  connected  with  his  work.  He  seems  not  to 
have  taken  a  foremost  part,  so  far  as  appears,  in  the  public  ministry 
of  the  word ;  but  acted  as  a  historian  of  the  apostles,  and  especially 
of  the  work  immediately  under  the  direction  of  Paul.  The  Acts  is 
therefore  not  a  history  of  the  work  of  all  the  apostles,  or  of  all  their 
work.  John's  work  is  scarcely  mentioned,  and  that  of  Peter  only  in 
connection  with  his  relation  to  Paul,  except  the  few  references  at 
the  opening  of  the  book,  where  the  first  movements  of  the  apostles 
and  earliest  disciples  are  mentioned.  It  seems  to  have  been  a  trea- 
tise in  continuation  of  a  former  one  written  privately  to  a  personal 
friend,  whom  he  was  desirous  of  thoroughly  informing  concerning 
both  the  doings  and  teaching  of  Christ  and  the  subsequent  events  in 
connection  with  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  especially  those  seen  in 
the  ministry  of  Paul,  who  is  rightly  regarded  as  the  chiefest  of  the 
apostles ;  though  the  writer  in  no  way  slights  the  great  work  of  Peter 
up  to  the  time  when  Paul  took  the  lead  in  the  mission  to  the  Gen- 
tiles. Whether  it  was  designed  by  Luke  that  his  two  great  letters 
should  come  into  general  circulation  among  the  churches  seems 
doubtful ;  but  it  has  been  well  remarked,  that  letters,  whether  writ- 
ten for  public  or  private  perusal,  if  they  have  in  them  great  truths, 
real  life,  and  power,  are  sure,  sooner  or  later,  to  be  used  of  God  for 
the  edification  and  comfort  of  the  world.  Certainly  the  marvelous 
use  which  God  has  made  of  the  former  and  latter  treatise  of  Luke, 
ought  to  encourage  other  earnest  servants  of  God  to  make  careful 
record  of  the  work  of  God  that  comes  under  their  observation.  The 
reports  of  real  work  done  and  living  words  spoken,  always  bring 
blessing  in  their  train.  The  world  is  richer  and  better  off  spiritually 
for  such  letters  as  those  of  the  sainted  Rutherford,  and  others  like 
him,  who  wrote  not  for  public,  but  private,  instruction  and  comfort. 
When  a  Luke  writes  to  a  Theophilus,  the  words  are  certain  to  get 
abroad,  and  be  used  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  Dean  Alford  has  called 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  the  Gospel  of  the  Risen  Jesus.  That  is, 
the  record  of  what  Jesus  continued  to  do  and  teach  after  his  resur- 
rection and  ascension.  His  reach  was  not  shortened  by  the  fact  of 
his  passing  through  the  heavens  back  to  the  Father ;  his  power  was 
precisely  the  same,  namely,  that  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  His  method 
differed  in  this,  that  whereas,  when  he  was  on  earth,  he  wrought 
and  taught  himself,  and  by  means  of  his  own  hands  and  words, 
now  he  multiplies  his  agencies  by  bestowing  the  spirit  of  wisdom 
and  power  upon  hundreds  of  his  disciples.  This  he  intimated  in  the 
preliminary  commission  and  bestowal  of  power  immediately  after  his 
resurrection  and  before  his  ascension.     (John  xx,  21,  22.) 


206  THE   ASCENSION   OF   CHRIST. 


I.— CONCERNING  JESUS   AND   HIS  MINISTRY. 

Luke  briefly  but  graphically  refers  in  this  treatise  to  the  whole 
work  of  Jesus,  from  the  time  of  his  appearance  in  this  world  to  the 
time  he  was  taken  up  after  his  resurrection.  In  the  first  four  verses, 
he  seems  to  connect  this  treatise  on  to  his  former,  beginning  one 
where  he  left  the  other,  only  lapping  this  over  that  sufficiently  to 
make  the  two  a  connected  whole  concerning  the  work  of  our  Lord 
among  and  for  men. 

1. — Jesus  as  a  doer  and  a  teacher. — Some  one  has  said  that 
"Christ  preached  his  own  life  and  lived  his  own  doctrine."  For  the 
first  thirty  years,  Christ  was  a  doer,  rather  than  a  teacher.  As  a 
little  boy,  we  find  him  indeed  in  the  temple,  disputing  with  the  doc- 
tors, but  he  then  said  of  himself'  that  his  business  in  this  world  was 
to  do  his  Father's  business.  We  next  see  him  being  subject  to  his 
parents  at  Nazareth,  where  for  eighteen  years  he  seems  to  have  lived 
in  almost  total  obscurity ;  but  during  this  time,  we  are  sure,  though 
he  was  not  a  public  teacher,  he  was  pre-eminently  a  private  doer. 
It  is  only  when  a  man  has  himself  become  first  a, doer  of  God's  word, 
that  he  becomes  a  fit  teacher  of  it.  We  may  be  sure  that  the  super- 
lative teachings  of  Jesus  would  not  have  had  their  marvelous  influ- 
ence over  the  world  if  he  had  not  lived  his  sublime  life.  He  came 
into  this  world  "full  of  grace  and  truth."  He  first  exhibited  this 
grace  in  his  life,  in  wha,t  he  was.  himself,  in  the  acts  of  mercy  and 
power  which  he  wrought,  and  then  he  taught  the  truth.  Words  of 
good-will  do  not  go  far,  unless  they  are  preceded,  or  at  least  accom- 
panied, by  deeds  of  good-will.  It  is  of  no  use  to  say  to  a  starving  man  : 
"Be  thou  fed,"  unless  there  is  with  that  comfortable  command  a  ten- 
der of  food.  No  doubt  Luke  referred  to  the  method  of  Jesus  in  his 
ministry.  Most  of  his  teachings  were  based  upon  or  associated  with 
the  miracles  of  grace  and  power  which  he  wrought  among  the  people, 
and  that  in  connection  with  a  ministry  which  has  been  well  de- 
scribed as  "going  about  doing  good."  If  hearing  the  word  of  God 
is  of  no  avail  without  doing  it,  certainly  preaching  and  testifying  to 
the  word  of  God  will  influence  nobody,  unless  it  is  preceded  by  con- 
sistent action.  If  it  were  not  for  the  fact  of  a  Christian  life  mani- 
fested in  the  holy  lives  of  believers,  Christian  doctrine  would 
command  no  attention  beyond  that  of  a  speculative  system.  All  the 
works  and  teachings  of  Jesus  were  but  the  "  beginnings  "  of  more 
works  and  more  teaching.  God  begins,  but  never  finishes.  His 
works  and  his  teachings  are  only  movements  in  the  march  of  infinite 


CONCERNING   JESUS  AND   HIS   MINISTRY.  207 

advance.  But  one  thing  we  know  is  finished,  and  that  is  the  re- 
demption work  of  Christ,  which  he  declared  accomplished  when  he 
bowed  his  head  and  gave  up  the  ghost ;  but  even  this  gives  birth  to 
a  progressive  work  of  salvation,  based  upon,  and  springing  out  of, 
that  foundation.  Jesus  intimated  to  his  disciples  that,  through 
them,  he  would  do  greater  works  after  he  went  to  the  Father  than 
while  he  was  on  the  earth,  and  that,  as  they  became  able  to  bear 
them,  he  would  give  them  other  teachings.  In  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  we  find  both  of  these  promises  being  literally  fulfilled. 

2. — The  passion  of  Jesus. — This  crowning  work  of  the  Lord  is 
just  mentioned  by  the  historian.  He  has  dealt  with  it  fully  in  his 
former  treatise ;  and  yet  it  is  in  connection  with  the  expiating  pas- 
sion of  Christ  that  is  seen  the  significance  of  his  resurrection,  his 
commandments  to  his  apostles,  his  ascension,  and  his  administration 
of  power  from  on  high.  Not  alone  his  works  of  love  and  mercy,  his 
teachings  of  righteousness  and  holiness  are  to  form  the  burden  of 
his  message  to  the  world;  " Christ  and  him  crucified,"  is  to  be  our 
theme.  There  may  be  times  when  one  feature  of  our  Lord's  work 
and  teachings  must  be  emphasized  to  the  apparent  minimizing  of 
others,  but  all  must  have  their  place  in  some  proportion  in  every 
word  and  work  of  ours,  whether  expressed  or  implied. 

3. — The  commandments  of  Christ. — Jesus  did  not  express  opin- 
ions or  give  advice.  He  commanded.  He  is  Lord  as  well  as  Saviour. 
Moses  and  the  prophets  spoke  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  always,  as  being  the  mouth-pieces  of  Jehovah,  used  in- 
variably the  formula :  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord."  But  Jesus,  though 
he  spoke  as  he  wrought  in  fellowship  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  neverthe- 
less spoke  and  gave  commandments  out  of  his  own  authority. 
"  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you."  The  commandment  referred  to 
here  was  the  commission  to  go  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the 
Gospel  to  every  creature.  In  fact,  to  be  his  witnesses,  "  both  in 
Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Judea,  and  in  Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost 
part  of  the  earth."  (v.  8.)  He  did  not  advise  them  to  this  course, 
or  discuss  with  them  the  probabilities  of  their  success  in  attempting 
it.  He  simply  commanded  them  to  act  thus,  promising  the  gift  of 
power  for  the  work,  and  his  own  spiritual  presence  with  them  in  ex- 
ecution of  his  orders.  There  is  nothing  in  all  history  so  sublimely 
— I  may  say,  so  divinely — audacious  as  this  command  of  Jesus  to 
his  apostles  and  disciples.  Nor  is  there  anything  in  the  history  of 
the  world  so  absolutely  confirmatory  of  the  truth  of  Christ's  Gospel 
as  the  fact  that,  throughout  these  nineteen  centuries,  this  command 
has  been  not  only  obeyed,  but  crowned  with  success,  and  that  in 


208  THE  ASCENSION   OF    CHRIST. 

spite  of  all  the  forces  of  earth  and  hell  arrayed  and  allied  together 
to  defeat  and  prevent  its  complete  execution. 

4. — The  resurrection  of  Jesus. — "  He  showed  himself  alive  after 
his  passion,  by  many  infallible  proofs."  Luke  does  not  rehearse 
these  proofs  here,  for  he  had  already  done  it  in  the  "  former  treatise  " 
(Luke  xxiv) ;  but  he  refers  to  the  fact  of  Christ's  manifestation  of 
himself  to  his  disciples,  subsequently  to  his  crucifixion,  during  a 
continuous  period  of  forty  days,  accompanied  with  certain  demon- 
strations that  could  leave  them  in  no  doubt  as  to  the  literal  fact  of 
his  bodily  resurrection  from  the  dead.  He  ate  with  them,  he  spake 
with  them,  he  showed  them  his  hands  and  his  feet  pierced  with  the 
crucifixion  nails,  he  showed  them  his  side  that  had  been  riven  by  the 
spear  of  the  Roman  soldier.  This  he  did,  not  in  one  day,  at  one 
time,  and  in  one  place,  but  throughout  forty  days,  at  divers  times 
and  places  ;  to  the  eleven  in  different  companies,  to  individuals,  such 
as  Peter  and  James  alone,  to  the  women,  the  Emmaus  disciples,  to 
five  hundred  brethren  at  once,  and  later  on,  to  the  apostle  Paul  him- 
self. (See  the  closing  chapters  of  Matt.,  Mark,  Luke,  John,  and  I. 
Cor.  xv. )  It  was  absolutely  necessary  that  these  witnesses  should 
have  infallible  proof  of  his  resurrection,  in  order  to  carry  out  his 
command  to  preach  his  Gospel  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  It  is  as  ab- 
solutely certain  that  they  never  would  have  begun  that  work,  or 
could  have  carried  it  forward,  unless  they  had  been  convinced  be- 
yond the  possibility  of  a  doubt  that  Jesus,  which  was  crucified,  was 
alive  again  from  the  dead.  The  Gospel  would  never  have  been 
preached  in  Jerusalem,  or  in  all  Judea  and  Samaria,  much  less  in 
Rome  and  in  all  the  world,  unless  Jesus  had  shown  himself  alive  in 
this  unmistakable  manner.  Nor  could  it  survive  one  day  if  these 
infallible  proofs  were  broken  down. 

II.— THE   KINGDOM  OF  GOD. 

During  these  forty  days  in  which  he  was  with  them,  after  his  pas- 
sion and  resurrection,  he  spoke  "  to  them  of  the  things  pertaining  to 
the  kingdom  of  God."  We  have  not  any  account  of  these  discourses, 
except  that  Luke  has  given  us  an  explicit  statement  to  the  effect 
that  he  opened  their  understanding  and  expounded  to  them  out  of 
all  the  Scriptures,  the  law,  and  the  prophets,  and  the  Psalms,  the 
things  therein  concerning  himself,  and  also  showed  how  his  suffer- 
ing and  death  were  necessary  before  he  could  enter  into  his  glory 
and  fulfill  the  whole  of  the  prophetic  promises  (Luke  xxiv,  25-27, 
44-48),  and  how  the  Gospel  must  be  preached  before  these  things 


THE   KINGDOM   OF   GOD.  209 

could  come  to  pass.  The  first  half  of  this  volume  of  studies  has 
been  selected  with  special  reference  to  the  setting  forth  of  the  pur- 
pose and  promises  of  God  in  reference  to  the  coming  Kingdom. 
Luke  brings  out  the  fact,  that  there  was  still  considerable  diffi- 
culty in  the  minds  of  the  disciples  in  reference  to  the  same. 

1. — Our  Lord's  idea  and  theirs. — His  thought  and  teaching  con- 
cerning the  kingdom  was  manifestly  different  from  theirs.  For  at 
the  very  last  interview  he  had  with  them,  they  still  seemed  to  think 
that  the  time  had  now  come  to  establish  that  kingdom.  Jesus  spoke 
to  them  of  "  the  kingdom  of  God, "  as  the  universal  reign  of  righteous- 
ness over  the  whole  earth,  set  forth  in  our  last  study  of  the  seventy- 
second  psalm,  and  in  previous  lessons,  while  the  disciples  spoke  of 
the  "kingdom  of  Israel."  Their  idea  was  narrow,  small,  and  lim- 
ited to  Israel  after  the  flesh,  while  his  idea  was  large,  and  universally 
included  all  peoples,  nations,  and  languages.  It  is  always  difficult 
for  us  to  rise  out  of  our  own  narrow  limitations,  and  take  in  God's 
great  thoughts  and  purposes.  This  narrowness  of  mind  on  our  part 
is  always  obtruding  itself  on  God's  great  thoughts ;  indeed,  they  are 
higher  than  ours  as  the  heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth.  God's 
thoughts  and  purposes  of  mercy  have  in  them  a  wideness  like  the 
wideness  of  the  sea,  while  ours  are  bounded  by  local  surroundings. 
As  we  come  into  a  closer  and  more  intimate  fellowship  with  Jesus, 
we  shall  also  come  into  a  larger  and  more  godlike  view  of  things, 
both  in  heaven  and  earth.  Let  us,  then,  make  haste  to  learn  his 
mind ! 

2. — Times,  seasons,  and  unrevealed  secrets. — To  their  eager 
and  impatient  curiosity  concerning  the  time  for  the  revelation  and 
establishment  of  this  kingdom,  Jesus  simply  returned  that  it  was  not 
for  them  to  know ;  that  this  was  a  matter  which  God  had  kept  in  his 
own  power.  As  many  of  the  prophets  of  old  did  not  know  the  times 
and  seasons  of  their  own  prophecies  (I.  Pet.  i,  11),  so  now  it  is  not 
given  even  to  apostles  to  know  times  and  seasons ;  nay,  even  Jesus 
himself,  as  the  Servant  of  God,  was  content  not  to  know  this  secret. 
(Mark  13,  32.)  What  folly,  then,  for  men  to  be  perplexing  them- 
selves in  the  vain  endeavor  to  figure  out  the  date  of  our  Lord's  sec- 
ond coming.  Our  business  is  to  look  for,  wait  for,  and  hasten  his 
coming  by  the  consecration  of  ourselves  to  his  service.  "Secret 
things  belong  to  God."  Let  us  be  content  that  God  should  have 
some  secrets  that  he  has  not  yet  seen  good  and  fit  to  reveal  to  us. 
We  can  trust  him.  If  we  cannot,  then  he  is  not  worthy  to  be  our 
God,  and  it  is  not  worth  our  while  to  be  his  children. 


210  THE  ASCENSION   OF   CHRIST. 


HI.— THE  PROMISE  OF  THE  FATHER. 

Being  assembled  together,  whether  at  this  time  of  his  ascension, 
or  at  an  earlier  period,  he  commanded  them  that  they  should  not 
depart  from  Jerusalem,  but  "  wait  for  the  promise  of  the  Father, 
which,  saith  he,  ye  have  heard  of  me."  To  what  promises  he  re- 
ferred we  are  not  absolutely  sure,  but  most  likely  to  some  which 
were  given,  though  not  recorded,  in  connection  with  things  said  to 
them  at  the  time  when  the  verses  Luke  xii,  11,  12  were  spoken;  or 
the  general  subject  of  discourse  recorded  in  John  xiv,  xv,  xvi. 
These  various  promises  no  doubt  referred  back  also  to  such  passages 
in  the  Old  Testament  as  Isaiah  lxiv,  3  ;  Joel,  ii,  28-31.  At  least  Peter 
referred  to  this  latter  passage  when  the  promise  of  the  Father  was 
fulfilled.  (Acts  ii,  16.)  He  compares  and  contrasts  this  blessing 
impending  over  them  with  John's  baptism  by  water.  He  spoke  of 
it  as  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  told  them  that  they  should 
receive  it  not  many  days  hence.  In  the  one  case  John  baptized 
them,  in  the  other  case  the  Holy  Ghost  would  baptize  them ;  in  the 
one  case  they  were  baptized  in  water,  in  the  other  case  they  were  to 
be  baptized  with  fire ;  in  the  one  case  they  received  a  benefit  in  fig- 
ure, in  the  other  case  they  were  to  receive  an  actual  incoming  and 
abiding  of  actual  power  from  on  high.  They  were  to  wait  for  it. 
He  did  not  tell  that  it  would  fall  upon  them  after  ten  days  of  wait- 
ing, but  simply  bade  them  to  wait  for  it.  This  is  good  discipline  for 
us,  as  it  was  for  them.  We  are  eager  and  selfish,  impatient  and 
restless  in  our  carnal  minds,  and  it  is  good  for  us  personally,  abso- 
lutely needful  for  us  as  servants,  to  learn  how  to  wait  upon  God  un- 
til these  earthy  characteristics  are  chastened  into  obedience  and 
broken  into  service.  If  God  can  afford  to  delay  his  work  ten  days 
or  an  hundred  days,  we  can  afford  to  delay  our  service.  Better  wait 
a  lifetime  for  spiritual  power  than  to  spend  it  in  trying  to  do  God's 
work  without  it.  "  They  that  wait  on  the  Lord  shall  renew  their 
strength."  Let  us  learn  to  wait,  not  carelessly  or  indifferently,  but 
patiently  and  expectantly. 

IV.— THE   ASCENSION  AND  PROMISED  RETURN. 

When  he  had  spoken  these  things,  and  was  still  standing  amongst 
them,  there  descended  from  above  them  a  wondrous  cloud,  and  it 
hovered  about  them.  Suddenly  Jesus  rose  from  the  earth,  entered 
into  the  cloud,  and  disappeared  from  their  sight.     The  words  seem 


THE  ASCENSION  AND   PROMISED   RETURN.  211 

to  indicate 'that  just  previous  to  this  there  came  some  kind  of  a 
changeover  the  features  of  Jesus.  "While  they  beheld."  Some- 
thing attracted  their  attention,  and  as  they  steadfastly  gazed  up 
into  the  heavens  the  ascension  was  accomplished. 

1. — Taken  up  out  of  their  sight. — Two  things  are  affirmed  in 
this  brief  statement,  (i)  "He  was  taken  up."  This  indicates  that 
the  Father  did  something  for  him.  It  is  not  said  that  he  ascended 
of  himself,  but  was  taken  up,  as  though  some  power  external  to 
himself  was  exercised  upon  him.  A  new  law  of  gravitation  was  put 
forth  in  respect  of  himself  that  drew  him  up  toward  and  into  heaven. 
It  is  said  in  a  later  part  of  this  treatise,  that  God  both  raised  him  up 
from  the  dead  and  exalted  him  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour  (ii,  32, 
33 ;  v,  30,  31),  as  though  by  this  exaltation  he  had  received  some 
new  power,  or  at  least  had,  by  the  Father,  been  placed  in  position 
to  use  the  power  which  had  already  been  given  him.  (Matt,  xxviii, 
18.)  (ii)  "Out  of  their  sight."  We  can  imagine  the  sudden  and 
overwhelming  dismay  that  must  have  filled  their  hearts  at  this  rapt- 
ure of  Jesus.  They  had  but  just  gotten  him  alive  from  the  dead, 
their  carnal  hopes  were  beginning  to  gather  about  him  again  which 
had  been  dispersed  by  his  passion,  and  now  they  were  dashed  to 
the  ground  again,  while  he  was  taken  away  from  them  into  heaven. 
How  lonely  they  must  have  felt !  He  was  really  as  far  absent  from 
them  now  as  when  he  lay  dead  in  Joseph's  tomb.  But  it  was  not  so. 
He  was  simply  taken  out  of  their  sight ;  not — thanks  be  to  God — out 
of  the  reach  of  their  faith ;  not  away  from  them  in  the  sense  that  he 
could  not  help  them  further.  Out  of  their  sight,  but  not  out  of  their 
hearing.  Out  of  their  sight,  but  not  so  far  that  he  could  not  sym- 
pathize with  them,  or  be  touched  with  every  feeling  of  their  infirm- 
ities ;  not  so  far  away  but  that  Stephen,  when  he  fell  under  the 
shower  of  stones,  could  see  him  standing  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 
O,  surely,  if  only  the  heavens  were  opened  over  us  we  could  see 
Jesus,  and  that  not  very  far  distant  from  us.  Let  us  not  think  of 
him  as  being  far  away,  though  out  of  sight.  Yea,  though  he  is  out 
of  our  sight,  we  are  not  out  of  his  sight, — a  matter  of  infinitely  larger 
import. 

2. — He  will  come  again. — While  they  gazed,  two  angels  dropped 
down  from  the  heavenly  convoy,  and  spoke  to  these  bewildered  dis- 
ciples, comforting  them  concerning  Jesus,  with  a  promise  that  he 
would  return  again,  (i)  This  same  Jesus — not  another  Jesus,  but 
the  same  Jesus,  the  risen  and  glorified  Man  Christ  Jesus,  shall  come 
again,  (ii)  In  like  manner.  It  will  not  be  a  spiritual  coming. 
That  promise  has  not  yet  been  fulfilled.     The  earth  has  not  yet  done 


212  THE  ASCENSION    OF   CHRIST. 

with  Jesus.  He  is  the  Son  of  God,  but  he  is  the  child,  ttie  man,  and 
the  King  of  the  earth.  Wretched  and  miserable  they  who  are  not 
his  friends  when  he  comes  !  Happy  they  who  are  his  friends,  and 
are  found  watching,  waiting,  working,  and  hastening  his  coming! 
That  will  be  their  day  of  triumph  as  well  as  his. 

3. — The  return  to  Jerusalem. — He  had  led  them  forth  from  Jeru- 
salem to  speak  these  parting  words  and  take  his  leave  of  them. 
Now  that  they  understood,  they  returned  to  Jerusalem,  not  de- 
pressed, but  with  great  joy  (Luke  xxiv,  52),  to  wait  for  the  promise, 
amid  a  time  of  praise  and  gladness. 


July  10,  1893. 


XXVIII. 

THE    DESCENT   OF  THE    SPIRIT.— Acts    ii,    1-12. 

(1)  And  when  the  day  of  Pentecost  was  fully  come,  they  were  all  with  one 
accord  in  one  place.  (2)  And  suddenly  there  came  a  sound  from  heaven  as  of  a 
rushing  mighty  wind,  and  it  filled  all  the  house  where  they  were  sitting.  (3)  And 
there  appeared  unto  them  cloven  tongues  like  as  of  fire,  and  it  sat  upon  each  of 
them.  (4)  And  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  began  to  speak  with 
other  tongues,  as  the  Spirit  gave  them  utterance.  (5)  And  there  were  dwelling  at 
Jerusalem  Jews,  devout  men,  out  of  every  nation  under  heaven.  (G)  Now  when 
this  was  noised  abroad,  the  multitude  came  together,  and  were  confounded,  because 
that  every  man  heard  them  speak  in  his  own  language.  (7)  And  they  were  all 
amazed  and  marvelled,  saying  one  to  another,  Behold,  are  not  all  these  which  speak 
Galileans  ?  (8)  And  how  hear  we  every  man  in  our  own  tongue,  wherein  we  were 
born  ?  (9)  Parthians,  and  Medes,  and  Elamites,  and  the  dwellers  in  Mesopotamia, 
and  in  Judea,  and  Cappadocia,  in  Pontus,  and  Asia.  (10)  Phrygia,  and  Pamphylia,  in 
Egypt,  and  in  the  parts  of  Libya  about  Cyrene,  and  strangers  of  Kome,  Jews  and 
proselytes,  (11)  Cretes  and  Arabians,  we  do  hear  them  speak  in  our  tongues  the 
wonderful  works  of  God.  (12)  And  they  were  all  amazed,  and  were  in  doubt,  saying 
one  to  another,  What  meaneth  this  ?— Acts  ii,  1-12. 

We  last  saw  the  disciples  returning  from  the  Mount  of  Ascension 
to  Jerusalem,  not  depressed  or  discouraged  by  the  departure  of  their 
Lord.  The  cheering  words  of  the  angels,  who  assured  them  that 
Jesus  would  come  again,  were  still  working  faith  and  hope  in  their 
hearts.  They  did  not  know  all  that  the  promise  meant  then,  even 
as  we  do  not  yet  know,  except  that  it  means  blessing  now  and  bless- 
ing to  come.  He  went  away  blessing  them,  and  he  will  come  again 
with  larger  blessings,  no  doubt, — "  a  second  time  without  sin  unto 
salvation."  Then  the  disciples  took  fresh  hold  on  his  word  con- 
cerning the  promise  of  the  Father,  which,  he  said,  he  would  send 
upon  them  when  they  should  go  up  to  Jerusalem  and  wait.  They 
did  not  then  fully  know  what  that  blessing  was,  only  by  faith  they 
took  hold  upon  some  great  thing.  Luke,  in  the  conclusion  of  the 
last  chapter  of  his  Gospel,  tells  us  that  they  went  up  with  great  joy. 
It  is  in  the  power  of  faith  to  put  a  great  joy  in  our  hearts,  especially 
if  we  are  acting  in  accordance  with  the  word  upon  which  our  faith 
claims  its  warrant.     Had  they  not  gone  up  to  Jerusalem,  they  would 

213 


214  THE   DESCENT   OF   THE   SPIRIT. 

have  had  no  joy,  just  as  men  now  have  no  joy  who  say  they  believe 
the  word  of  Christ  and  do  not  do  it.  Yet  there  was  a  larger  joy  and 
mightier  blessing  in  store  for  them,  as  there  is  for  all  disciples  who 
go  waiting  and  expecting  the  fulfillment  of  yet  unfulfilled  promises. 
These  disciples  were  not  disobedient  to  the  heavenly  vision.  What 
a  great  thing  it  is  to  have  an  obedient  faith !  Many  Christians 
mourn  over  their  lack  of  faith,  and  are  always  lamenting  that  they 
have  not  stronger  faith ;  when,  in  point  of  fact,  it  is  not  faith  they 
lack  so  much  as  obedience.  Faith  is  like  a  seed.  If  it  abide  alone 
it  brings  forth  no  fruit,  but  if  it  dies  into  obedience,  then  there  is 
sure  to  be  a  harvest  of  joy  and  power,  for  faith,  like  other  seeds, 
multiplies  by  such  an  use.  For  ten  days  they  assembled  together  in 
that  upper  room,  waiting  and  praying ;  one  apparently  foolish  action 
they  took,  namely,  the  election  of  Matthias  to  fill  up  the  place  of  the 
traitor  Judas.  This  they  seem  to  have  done  without  warrant  or  au- 
thority. The  Lord  gave  them  no  commandment  to  rectify  that  de- 
ficiency. Perhaps,  if  they  had  been  still  more  obedient,  and  had 
left  matters  of  Church  government  and  questions  of  the  ministry 
alone  till  the  Spirit  was  poured  out,  they  would  not  have  had  to  wait 
so  long  for  the  promise  of  the  Father  to  have  come  upon  them.  It 
is  hard  to  keep  the  old  energetic  flesh  still.  Nothing  so  completely 
tends  to  empty  us  of  self-sufficiency  as  to  be  compelled  to  wait. 
One  reason,  I  think,  of  the  lack  in  our  day  of  mighty  revivals,  is 
that  we  have  not  the  faith  or  the  patience  to  wait.  We  fix  days  and 
hours,  and  practically  say  to  the  Lord  that  we  are  so  busy  and  have 
so  much  to  do  that  we  cannot  wait.  We  appoint  a  week  of  prayer 
and  say,  in  effect,  we  can  only  come  together  and  pray  for  one  week. 
Indeed,  we  are  so  impatient  that  we  cannot  give  even  our  one  annual 
week  of  prayer  up  to  that  purpose,  but  must  needs  turn  it  into  a 
preaching  meeting,  or  a  talking  meeting,  or  almost  any  other  kind 
rather  than  one  of  simple  prayer  and  waiting.  In  our  ordinary  gath- 
erings for  prayer,  if  there  come  a  pause,  the  minister  or  leader  be- 
comes impatient  and  sends  forth  his  exhortation  to  "fill  up  the  time," 
and  the  brethren  and  sisters  begin  to  look  about  and  get  fidgety 
and  nervous,  just  as  if  to  be  silent  and  wait  upon  the  Lord  for  a  few 
minutes  were  an  offense  against  the  Spirit.  I  sometimes  think 
that  the  reason  why  we  fail  to  get  more  direct  spiritual  blessings 
from  Heaven  is  that  we  do  not  give  the  Spirit  an  opportunity  to 
speak  to  us  in  our  eagerness  to  speak  to  God  and  to  one  another. 
Jesus'  orders  were  to  tarry.  It  may  be  that  we  have  something  to 
learn  in  this  line  in  our  day.  The  subject  is  at  least  worthy  our  con- 
sideration. 


THE   FIRST   ASSEMBLY.  215 

We  have  come  in  our  studies  to  the  edge  of  a  new  dispensation 
in  the  progress  of  God's  great  purposes  toward  the  world.  Old 
things  were  passing  away ;  indeed,  the  old  dispensation  had  almost 
disappeared ;  it  would  entirely  vanish  the  moment  the  Spirit  was 
poured  out.  All  things  were  to  become  new.  The  Jewish  economy 
was  waxing  old  like  a  garment  and  being  rolled  up  as  a  scroll ;  the 
season  of  the  Spirit  was  dawning  even  unto  day.  A  new  fire  from 
Heaven  was  to  be  kindled  on  the  altars  of  Christian  hearts,  and  the 
whole  world  was  about  to  be  embraced  in  the  arms  of  everlasting 
love.  We  do  not  know  what  the  chief  priests  and  the  rulers  were 
doing ;  they  were  doubtless  busy  about  the  feasts  and  ceremonies  of 
this  last  pentecostal  festival.  It  was  now  fifty  days  and  more  since 
Jesus  had  been  crucified.  At  first  they  had  been  thrown  into  a  flut- 
ter of  fear  by  the  report  of  the  soldiers  that  he  was  risen  from  the 
dead ;  but  the  chief  priests  had  quieted  that  rumor  by  bribing  the 
soldiers  to  say  that  his  disciples  had  come  by  night  and  stolen  his 
body.  Nothing  more  had  been  heard  of  Jesus  and  his  disciples ; 
and  his  enemies  no  doubt  took  heart  of  courage  to  think  that  it  was 
all  over  with  him  whom  they  had  crucified.  Jesus  himself  did  not 
appear  in  public  again  after  his  resurrection.  He  had  practically 
left  the  world,  and  only  remained  on  earth  long  enough  to  convince 
and  thoroughly  satisfy  his  disciples  that  he  was  alive,  and  to  give 
them  some  last  instructions  as  to  their  future  mission.  Henceforth 
the  world  was  to  know  Jesus,  not  by  the  sight  of  eye  and  the  hear- 
ing of  ear,  but  by  faith,  based  on  the  testimony  of  disciples  who 
were  eye-witnesses  of  his  resurrection.  The  priests,  scribes,  and 
Pharisees,  and  Herodians  little  dreamed  of  what  was  going  on  in 
the  region  of  Jerusalem  and  Galilee,  between  the  risen  Christ  and 
his  disciples ;  yet  God  was  mightily  working  out  his  purposes  in 
their  very  midst.  How  true  is  this  of  our  day !  The  world  sees 
little  that  is  going  on  around  it,  and  believes  less,  and  yet  every  day 
hundreds  of  souls  are  being  born  again ;  thousands  of  disciples  are 
meeting  with  their  risen  Lord  through  his  word  and  ever-present 
Spirit. 

I.— THE  FIRST  ASSEMBLY. 

The  first  verse  in  this  chapter  gives  us  a  brief  but  graphic  de- 
scription of  the  first  Christian  assembly,  or  Church.  These  few 
words  are  full  of  great  germinal  truths,  which  we  do  well  to  plant 
again  and  again  in  our  hearts  and  minds. 

1. — The  place  of  meeting. — It  was  in  Jerusalem.  Less  than  two 
months  ago,  Jesus  had  been  led  into  that  city,  to  be  there  con- 


216  THE   DESCENT   OF   THE   SPIRIT. 

demned,  led  again  outside  the  walls,  and  crucified  as  a  common  mal- 
efactor. On  the  very  spot  where  he  had  been  condemned,  there  he 
chose  to  demonstrate  the  fact  of  his  resurrection  by  gathering  to- 
gether his  scattered  disciples,  and,  through  the  word  of  their  testi- 
mony, accompanied  by  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from  heaven, 
beginning  to  gather  in  the  harvest  of  sinners  for  his  kingdom.  He 
will  do  nothing  in  a  corner ;  he  will  not  select  Galilee  as  a  place  for 
his  demonstration,  but  Jerusalem.  The  Jerusalem  sinners  crucified 
him ;  the  Jerusalem  sinners  should  be  the  first  to  recognize  in  him 
their  Saviour  and  Lord.  The  gathering  was  in  an  upper  room  some- 
where in  Jerusalem,  but  not  in  the  temple.  Alas,  from  that  temple 
Jesus  had  been  led  away,  rejected,  and  condemned  to  death.  The 
temple  was  now  no  more  for  Jesus  and  his  people.  The  dispensa- 
tion whereof  it  was  the  center  was  over  and  past.  Jesus  is  hence- 
forth himself  the  tabernacle  of  God  and  the  meeting-place  of  his 
people.  We  may  hereby  learn  that,  with  true  worshipers,  the  ques- 
tion is  not  one  of  place,  but  of  object.  The  recent  practice  of  "con- 
secrating "  churches,  in  order  to  make  them  holy,  is  not  in  accordance 
with  the  spirit  of  Christianity,  and  savors  of  that  which  has  passed 
away.  Wherever  two  or  three  true  believers  are  gathered  and  Christ 
meets  with  them  by  his  Spirit,  there  is  a  true  church ;  there  is  a  true 
place  of  worship. 

2. — The  time. — It  was  well  on  into  the  day  of  Pentecost,  the 
same  as  the  great  feast  day  of  the  Jews  commemorating  the  two 
events  of  their  deliverance  from  Egypt  and  the  gathering  in  of  har- 
vest. It  was  fifty  days  after  the  date  of  the  exodus  from  Egypt ;  fifty 
days,  too,  after  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  who  represents  and 
guarantees  the  exodus  of  every  believer  from  the  bondage  of  sin 
and  death.  On  this,  the  greatest  of  the  three  great  feasts,  all  the 
offerings  of  the  Levitical  ceremonial  law  were  made,  with  the  addition 
of  that  of  the  two  Wave  loaves,  testifying  the  ripened  harvest  and 
its  gathering  in.  Surely  there  was  typical  propriety  in  selecting 
such  a  time  for  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit.  The  whole  law  was 
now  fulfilled  in  the  accepted  offering  of  Jesus  Christ ;  while  the  de- 
scent of  the  Spirit,  besides  testifying  to  this  fact,  also  made  clear 
announcement  that  the  harvest  of  souls  had  begun.  The  three 
thousand  souls  gathered  in  on  that  day  were  waved  before  the  Lord 
as  the  first-fruits  of  the  millions  to  follow  in  coming  ages.  The  bet- 
ter was  the  season  chosen,  from  the  fact  that  not  only  were  congre- 
gated there  men  of  the  nation  from  every  part  of  Palestine,  but 
strangers,  "devout  men,"  and  foreign  Jews  from  every  part  of  the 
world ;  so  that,  in  a  sense,  the  whole  world  should  witness  the  great 


THE   FIRST   ASSEMBLY.  217 

manifestation  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  truth  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 
from  the  dead.  Many  a  converted  man  would  carry  the  news,  nay, 
the  testimony  of  Jesus  and  the  resurrection,  back  with  him  to  his 
home,  till  the  seed  of  the  kingdom  should  be  scattered  abroad,  as 
would  have  been  impossible  by  other  means.  God  always  chooses 
well  for  the  development  of  his  plans  and  purposes  ;  not  only  in  great 
matters,  but  in  small,  not  only  in  connection  with  his  Church  as  a 
whole,  but  with  regard  to  the  life  of  every  individual  believer. 
Could  we  only  read  backward  in  our  lives'  history,  we  would  see 
that  their  marked  events  were  all  well  timed  for  our  good.  The 
same  would  be  true  of  the  unremembered  events,  which,  perhaps, 
have  been  of  no  less  importance. 

3. — The  company. — We  are  told  in  the  first  chapter  that  the 
number  of  the  disciples  gathered  there  were  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty.  Of  these  the  eleven  apostles  are  named ;  also  Matthias  and 
another  who  were  the  candidates  for  Judas'  vacant  place.  These  had 
been  gathered  together,  no  doubt,  by  the  apostles  after  their  return 
to  Jerusalem  from  the  Mount  of  Olives.  Besides  the  one  hundred 
and  twenty  who  are  spoken  of  as  "brethren,"  there  were  the  women, 
of  whose  number  we  are  given  no  information.  The  important  mat- 
ter, however,  is  not  their  names  or  number,  but  their  mind  and 
spirit.  "They  were  all  with  one  accord  in  one  place."  Here  we 
have  the  first  statement  of  unity ;  a  unity  due  not  so  much  to  the 
fact  that  they  were  all  in  one  place,  as  that  they  were  there  "with 
one  accord."  It  was  no  Church  government,  no  doctrinal  statement 
that  bound  them  together.  They  were  bound  together  from  within, 
by  a  common  faith  in  Christ's  promise,  a  common  personal  confi- 
dence in  himself,  a  common  expectation  which  filled  all  their  minds. 
If  we  are  ever  to  realize  Christian  unity,  it  must  be  by  reason  of 
oneness  of  accord  in  reference  to  Jesus,  his  person,  his  promises, 
and  his  work.  Neither  distance  nor  forms  of  worship  can  break 
this  unity ;  but  when  we  try  to  realize  this  same  oneness  in  such 
mere  objectives  to  our  Christian  life  as  statements  of  doctrine,  sys- 
tems of  Church  government,  and  manners  of  administering  ordi- 
nances and  regulations  for  the  conduct  of  worship,  we  must  inevi- 
tably be  defeated  and  fall  into  worse  confusion.  The  apostle  exhorts 
us  to  "keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit,"  not  to  invent  and  force  a  unity 
of  doctrine  or  external  rites.  If  we  have  lost  the  unity  of  the  Spirit 
in  eagerness  to  establish  the  truth  of  our  sectarian  positions,  let  us 
come  back  to  first  principles,  and  recover  such  a  mind  as  we  see  in 
this,  the  first  assembly  of  believers. 


218  THE   DESCENT   OF   THE   SPIRIT. 


II.— THE   DESCENT   OF   THE    SPIRIT. 

Whilst  the  disciples  were  waiting  together,  sharing  "  the  bless- 
ings in  heavenly  places  in  Christ "  (Eph.  i,  3),  suddenly  the  Spirit 
came  upon  them.  They  had  been  looking  for  and  were  expecting 
the  fulfillment  of  the  promise,  and  yet,  until  it  was  upon  them,  there 
was  no  sign.  Will  it  not  be  so  when  the  Lord  comes  again?  Sud- 
denly as  at  midnight  will  be  heard  the  cry :  "  Behold  the  bridegroom 
cometh."  Happy  we  if  we  are  found  waiting,  ready  for  his  appear- 
ing ;  before  it  is  too  late.  Sad  would  it  have  been  for  any  of  these 
disciples  to  have  been  absent  at  that  day  and  hour ;  and  sad  will  it 
be  for  any  believer  to  be  "  out  of  the  Spirit,"  not  waiting  and  watch- 
ing when  he  comes ;  for  him  it  will  be  too  late  to  recall  his  wander- 
ing and  uncentered  soul. 

1. — The  forerunners  of  the  Spirit's  ministry. — The  first  of  these 
forerunners,  or  outward  signs,  was  "  a  sound  as  of  a  rushing  mighty 
wind."  It  was  not  a  sudden  tempest.  There  was  no  movement  in 
the  air,  but  just  the  sound  as  of  a  rushing  wind.  They  heard  that 
sound,  but  did  not  see  or  feel  it.  Then  there  appeared  unto  them 
cloven  tongues  "like  as  of  fire."  They  were  not  actual  tongues  of 
fire.  They  did  not  burn,  in  any  physical  sense.  These  tongues, 
"like  as  of  fire,"  sat  one  upon  each  of  the  disciples.  These  they 
saiv.  So  that  the  descent  of  the  Spirit  was  heralded  by  two  sensible 
signs.  Once  afterward,  when  the  disciples  were  gathered  together, 
praying  (Acts  iv,  31),  the  place  where  they  were  was  shaken.  And 
even  now  the  presence  of  the  Spirit  of  God  is  manifested  to  us  as 
it  is  not  to  the  -world.  Yet  the  time  for  external  signs  soon  passed 
away.  It  was  necessary  that  the  first  disciples  should  have  these 
signs,  just  as  it  was  necessary  for  them,  by  many  infallible  proofs, 
to  know  that  Jesus  was  alive  from  the  dead.  But  now  it  is  not  the 
sign  we  want,  but  the  substance,  not  the  sound  as  of  a  rushing 
mighty  wind,  and  the  appearance  of  cloven  tongues  as  of  fire,  but 
the  presence  and  power  of  the  Spirit  himself. 

2. — The  subjects  of  the  Spirit's  ministry. — We  are  told  that 
these  tongues  of  fire  sat  on  each  of  them — the  apostles,  the  disciples, 
and  the  women.  There  is  no  respect  of  persons  with  the  Lord  when 
his  Church  is  concerned.  The  Spirit  came  as  well  to  the  common 
disciple  as  to  the  apostolic  disciple ;  to  the  women  disciples  as  to 
the  men  disciples.  Has  God  no  lesson  for  us  in  this,  for  our  day, 
when  men  are  arrogating  to  themselves  peculiar  powers  because  of 
their  fancied  succession  to  the  apostolic  office?     There  arc  orders 


THE   EFFECT   OF   THE   SPIRIT'S   DESCENT.  219 

indeed  in  the  ministry,  but  power  belongs  to  no  order.  The  whole 
history  of  the  Church  demonstrates  this  fact.  When  certain  claim 
to  be  the  successors  of  the  apostles,  and  therefore  claim  exclusive 
right  to  powers  which  belong  to  the  whole  Church  of  God,  we  are 
inclined  to  ask  them  to  point  out  in  what  particular  they  have  suc- 
ceeded to  the  apostles.  Have  they  been  eye-witnesses  of  the  resur- 
rection of  the  Lord ;  have  they  wrought  miracles ;  have  they  alone 
preached  the  Gospel ;  has  the  Holy  Spirit  been  given  to  them  alone ; 
has  God  confined  his  grace  to  the  channels  of  their  ministry  f 
Wherein  are  they  prepared  to  demonstrate  that  they  have  any  apos- 
tolic gift  or  power  not  accorded  to  all  the  disciples  ?  If  the  Church 
has  set  them  apart  to  minister  in  the  word,  well ;  but  has  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  any  way  distinguished  them  from  other  brethren  and  dis- 
ciples in  the  matter  of  power?  And  verily  such  a  claim  must  stand 
or  fall  as  it  is  supported  by  the  power  of  God. 

HI.— THE  EFFECT  OF   THE    SPIRIT'S  DESCENT. 

It  remains  now  but  to  briefly  note  the  effect  produced  by  the 
coming  of  the  Spirit,  directly  upon  the  disciples,  and  indirectly  upon 
the  outside  world. 

1. — Upon  the  disciples. — We  are  told  that  they  were  all  filled 
with  the  Spirit.  Nor  was  this  the  first  occasion  of  its  outpouring  on 
God's  people,  in  a  measure.  In  the  old  dispensation,  the  Spirit  had 
come  upon  men  to  give  them  varied  powers.  Upon  Moses,  to  give 
him  wisdom  to  construct  the  tabernacle  in  the  wilderness ;  upon 
Joshua,  to  enable  him  to  fight  the  Lord's  battles  ;  upon  the  prophets, 
to  enable  them  to  deliver  the  word  of  the  Lord.  Jesus  had  already 
breathed  on  the  apostles  and  said,  "Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost." 
Now,  however,  for  the  first  time  had  the  Spirit  been  given,  as  it 
were,  without  measure ;  not  for  mere  specific  purposes  in  wisdom  or 
prophecy,  but  for  the  entire  service  of  God,  inspiring  energy  for  the 
preaching  of  the  blessed  Gospel  of  Christ.  It  elated  them  with  a 
divine  enthusiasm,  deepened  all  their  convictions,  empowered  them 
to  see  truth  spiritually  as  never  before,  filled  them  with  longing  love 
for  men,  gave  birth  to  a  mighty  patience  and  compassion,  made  them 
strong  to  do  their  work  in  the  face  of  danger  and  death.  In  one 
particular,  for  a  little  time  they  were  gifted  with  special  power  of 
speaking  in  other  tongues.  This  peculiarity  truly  soon  passed  away, 
as  did  the  phenomena  of  the  noise  of  wind  and  tongues  of  fire ;  but 
the  energetic  power  of  that  Spirit,  however,  has  never  changed. 
Often  is  it  manifest  in  songs  of  holy  joy  and  shining  of  faces  in  con- 


220  THE   DESCENT   OF   THE   SPIRIT. 

gregations  of  God's  people ;  and  such  scenes  have  the  same  effect  on 
unbelievers  as  had  these  peculiar  attendant  circumstances  upon  the 
multitude  on  the  day  of  Pentecost. 

2. — The  effect  upon  the  multitude. — It  would  seem  from  the 
sixth  verse  that  the  noise  as  of  a  rushing  mighty  wind  reached  be- 
yond the  walls  of  the  house  where  the  disciples  were  gathered,  and 
spread  abroad  in  the  city  like  a  mighty  voice  (see  margin  :  "  When 
this  voice  was  made  "),  thus  attracting  the  attention  of  the  multi- 
tudes of  people  who  were  then  in  the  streets ;  notably  of  certain 
strangers  and  devout  men  who  had  come  up  from  foreign  countries 
to  be  present  at  the  feast.  These  ran  together  to  the  place  to  ascer- 
tain the  cause ;  and,  entering,  they  heard  the  disciples  speaking,  and 
marveled  that  they  heard  every  man  in  the  tongue  wherein  he  was 
born.  This  miraculous  phenomenon  wrought  trouble  in  their  minds. 
They  were  confounded  and  amazed,  discerning  the  superhuman  ele- 
ment, and  knowing  instinctively  that  God  was  in  their  midst.  Doubt- 
less some  of  the  most  troubled  were  of  the  number  of  those  who  had 
taken  part  in  the  condemnation  of  Jesus.  "  They  were  all  amazed 
and  in  doubt,  saying  one  to  another  :  What  meaneth  this  ?  "  referring 
both  to  the  miracle  and  the  subject  of  discourse,  which  was  as 
always  when  men  speak  by  the  Spirit,  "The  wonderful  works  of 
God."  We  have  space  for  just  two  suggestions.  When  the  Spirit 
of  God  is  poured  out  upon  his  people,  and  they  begin  to  speak  in 
"  power  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  in  much  assurance,"  the  multi- 
tude will  always  run  together.  The  presence  of  the  Spirit  brings  all 
men  together,  either  to  listen  to  the  Gospel  and  live,  or  to  conspire  to- 
gether to  kill  the  preachers,  as  they  did  later  with  Stephen.  Yet  again, 
we  see  in  the  result  or  effect  of  the  Spirit  a  prophecy  of  what  the  Gos- 
pel will  yet  do,  and  has  already  largely  done.  It  will  speak  to  every 
man  in  this  world  in  his  own  tongue.  Let  the  three  hundred  tongues 
in  which  the  Gospel  is  now  translated  and  printed  testify  to  the  con- 
tinuation of  the  Pentecostal  gift.  Moreover,  as  rebellion  against 
God,  as  at  Babel,  resulted  in  the  confounding  of  the  tongues,  so  the 
coming  together  to  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  preaching  of  his  Gospel,  will 
result  in  unifying  both  tongues  and  people. 


July  17,  1893. 


XXIX. 
THE    FIRST    CHRISTIAN    CHURCH.— Acts  ii,  37-47. 

(37)  Now  when  they  heard  this,  they  were  pricked  in  their  heart,  and  said  unto 
Peter  and  to  the  rest  of  the  apostles,  Men  and  hrethren,what  shall  we  do  ?  ^(88)  Then 
Peter  said  unto  them,  Repent,  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
(39)  For  the  promise  is  unto  you,  and  to  your  children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off, 
even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  6hall  call.  (40)  And  with  many  other  words  did 
he  testify  and  exhort,  saying,  Save  yourselves  from  this  untoward  generation.  (41) 
Then  they  that  gladly  received  his  word  were  baptized :  and  the  same  day  there 
were  added  unto  them  about  three  thousand  souls.  (42)  And  they  continued  stead- 
fastly in  the  apostles'  doctrine  and  fellowship,  and  in  breaking  of  bread,  and  in 
prayers.  (43)  And  fear  came  upon  every  soul  :  and  many  wonders  and  signs  were 
done  by  the  apostles.  (44)  And  all  that  believed  were  together,  and  had  all  things 
common  ;  (45)  And  sold  their  possessions  and  goods,  and  parted  them  to  all  men, 
as  every  man  had  need.  (46)  And  they,  continuing  daily  with  one  accord  in  the  tem- 
ple, and  breaking  bread  from  house  to  house,  did  eat  their  meat  with  gladness  and 
singleness  of  heart,  (47)  Praising  God,  and  having  favour  with  all  the  people.  And 
the  Lord  added  to  the  church  daily  such  as  should  be  saved.— Acts  ii,  37-47. 

The  effect  of  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  Peter  per- 
sonally, was  of  a  most  remarkable  nature.  All  the  disciples,  indeed, 
spake  with  other  tongues ;  but  Peter  spake  with  a  directness,  an 
unction,  and  a  power  to  the  multitude,  which  culminated  in  profound 
conviction  of  sin  in  them  and  the  immediate  conversion  of  three  thou- 
sand. The  man  who  but  a  little  while  ago  denied  his  Master  through 
timid  fear,  now  boldly  confesses  him,  charging  his  murder  upon  the 
rulers  of  the  people,  at  the  same  time  expounding  all  the  marvels  of 
his  life,  death,  and  resurrection.  Not  only  is  he  filled  with  boldness, 
but  he  is  transformed  from  a  rude  fisherman  into  a  great  orator,  gifted 
with  potent  eloquence,  and  characterized  with  singular  powers  of 
reasoning.  It  is  not  for  a  moment  to  be  supposed  that  any  new  facul- 
ties were  communicated  to  Peter  by  the  descent  of  the  Spirit,  but  the 
whole  man  within  was  suddenly  wakened  up  ;  all  his  latent  gifts  were 
roused  into  highest  action ;  his  soul  was  set  on  fire  with  a  holy  en- 
thusiasm ;  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament,  with  the  letter  of 
which  he  had  been  long  familiar,  suddenly  glowed  with  a  new  light, 

221 


222  THE   FIRST   CHRISTIAN   CHURCH. 

and  stood  forth  before  his  mind  pregnant  with  new  meaning.  His 
sermon  is  a  standing  model  in  every  way.  It  is  profoundly  Script- 
ural ;  it  is  clear  and  simple  in  its  statements ;  it  appeals  to  many 
prophecies  throughout  the  Old  Testament  which  he  shows  to  have 
been  fulfilled  both  now,  in  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  and  for- 
merly, in  the  advent,  ministry,  death,  and  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ 
from  the  dead.  Wonderfully,  too,  does  it  set  forth  the  person  of 
Jesus  Christ.  He  is  none  other  than  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  a  man  ap- 
proved of  God  among  you  by  wonders  and  miracles  and  signs,  which 
God  did  by  him  in  the  midst  of  you,  as  ye  yourselves  also  know ; 
him  being  delivered  by  the  determinate  counsel  and  foreknowledge 
of  God,  ye  have  taken  and  by  wicked  hands  have  crucified  and  slain ; 

whom  God  hath  raised  up Therefore  let  all  the  house 

of  Israel  know  assuredly,  that  God  hath  made  that  same  Jesus, 
whom  ye  have  crucified,  both  Lord  and  Christ."  Looking  over  this 
remarkable  sermon,  we  find  the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures  demon- 
strated, the  prophetic  significance  of  David  and  his  kingdom  brought 
to  light ;  the  humanity  of  Jesus  affirmed ;  his  Godhead  proved  by  the 
resurrection  from  the  dead ;  the  object  of  his  sacrificial  death  set 
forth ;  the  Divine  sovereignty  of  God  vindicated  in  appointing  him 
to  death  as  a  sacrifice  for  our  sins ;  and  the  freedom  of  the  human 
will  pointed  out  as  exercised  in  his  murder.  Peter  takes  his  stand 
squarely  on  the  resurrection,  and  from  that  height  declares  the  whole 
truth  of  God  concerning  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  After  this  model  will 
be  all  preaching  whenever  and  wherever  the  Spirit  rests  upon  men. 
The  whole  sermon  is  duly  summed  up  in  the  thirty-sixth  verse : 
"  God  hath  made  that  same  Jesus  whom  ye  crucified,  both  Lord  and 
Christ." 

I.— FROM  DEATH  TO   LIFE. 

The  effect  of  Peter's  sermon  upon  the  multitude  was  both  start- 
ling and  instantaneous.  "Now  when  they  heard  this  they  were 
pricked  in  their  heart,  and  said  unto  Peter  and  to  the  rest  of  the 
apostles,  "  Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do  ?  "  Paul  tells  us  in 
his  second  letter  to  Timothy  (iii,  16),  that  "  all  Scripture  is  given  by 
inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof  (con- 
viction), for  correction  (conversion),  for  instruction  in  righteous- 
ness." We  have  a  proof  of  that  statement  in  the  effects  of  Peter's 
sermon  on  the  people.  He  certainly  preached  the  inspired  word  of 
God  ;  informing  his  hearers  of  the  meaning  of  that  word  in  respect 
of  Jesus  Christ ;  the  effect  was  first  conviction,  then  conversion,  and 
afterward  instruction  in  righteousness.     Following  the  course   of 


FROM   DEATH   TO   LIFE.  223 

events,  we  see  what  is  God's  method  of  grace  in  bringing  men  from 
darkness  to  light  and  from  death  to  life. 

1. — Conviction. — "  They  were  pricked  in  their  hearts."  Notice 
that  they  were  not  moved  by  Peter's  eloquence,  nor  filled  with  ad- 
miration at  the  masterly  construction  of  his  sermon ;  nor  are  we  told 
that  their  reason  was  fully  satisfied  by  his  arguments.  "  They  were 
pricked  in  their  hearts."  Quick  and  sharp  conviction  of  their  guilt 
in  sentencing  Jesus  to  death  seized  upon  them ;  the  fearful  respon- 
sibility of  having  rejected  their  Messiah  came  before  them,  and  en- 
tered their  souls  with  a  sudden  piercing  pain  and  agony.  The  sin 
and  guilt  of  the  deed  filled  them  with  dread  and  horror.  This  is  the 
true  work  of  the  Spirit  in  connection  with  the  preaching  of  the  word 
of  God.  "When  he  is  come  he  will  convince  the  world  of  sin,  of 
righteousness,  and  of  judgment.  Of  sin  because  they  believe  not  on 
me."  (John  xvi,  8,  9.)  Conviction  is  not  a  sensation  of  pain  in  the 
heart ;  it  is  not  an  emotional  disturbance,  caused  by  some  magical 
influence  of  the  Spirit.  It  is  not  "  feeling  bad. "  It  is  the  intelligent 
persuasion  of  the  mind  and  heart  of  the  truth  of  God's  word  concern- 
ing Jesus  Christ  and  of  the  sin  of  rejecting  him.  "Now,  when  they 
heard  this  they  were  pricked  in  their  hearts."  Conviction  is  knowl- 
edge, combined  with  recognition  of  the  truth.  The  truth  of  God 
concerning  Jesus  Christ,  while  being  reasonable  truth,  is  directed 
more  toward  the  religious  than  the  intellectual  nature  of  man. 
Many  a  man  recognizes- with  the  intellect  the  truth  of  the  Gospel, 
whose  heart  is  not  moved  by  it,  for  the  reason  that  he  deals  with  the 
matter  speculatively  and  not  personally.  But  where  the  word  is  in 
power  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  takes  hold  of  men's  hearts  either  to 
convict  or  to  enrage.  (Compare  Acts  vii,  54.)  The  conviction  of 
this  multitude  did  not  culminate  in  silent  meditation  or  secret  in- 
quiry, but  in  an  outcry  of  great  and  urgent  importance.  They 
sought  Peter  and  the  rest  of  the  apostles  and  said :  "  Men  and 
brethren,  what  shall  we  do  ?  "  They  saw  themselves  in  a  desperate 
position ;  they  could  not  be  satisfied  till  they  should  know  the  rem- 
edy— if  there  were  any — of  their  sin.  With  them  there  was  no  dis- 
position to  compromise  ;  they  were  not  asking  if  it  was  necessary  for 
them  to  give  up  this  and  forego  that ;  if  they  might  retain  this  and 
continue  that ;  as  indeed  is  the  stand  taken  by  many  modern  inquir- 
ers. With  them  it  was  unconditional  surrender ;  absolute  readiness 
to  do  the  will  of  God  in  any  way,  if  haply  God  had  any  will  of  grace 
toward  them ;  which  will  they  faintly  gathered  from  the  tone  of 
Peter's  address  to  them,  who  seemed  all  through  to  be  arguing  for 
their  conversion  as  well  as  for  their  conviction.     We  may  be  sure 


224  THE   FIRST   CHRISTIAN   CHURCH. 

that  there  is  no  genuine  conviction  of  sin,  if  it  is  not  followed  by  an 
earnest  cry  for  instruction  in  and  an  intent  willingness  to  do  the  will 
of  God. 

2. — Instruction  in  righteousness. — Peter  was  as  ready  to  give 
them  instruction  as  they  were  to  ask  it.  He  was  brief  and  to  the 
point.  He  did  not  begin  by  giving  them  abstract  theology,  proving 
to  them  that  sin  was  sinful,  or  that  an  atonement  was  necessary. 
They  were  too  far  convinced  of  their  sin  and  need  for  such  persua- 
sion. They  required  practical  instruction.  "What  shall  we  do?" 
indicated  their  readiness  to  obey  God.  He  did  not  even  tell  them 
to  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for  in  a  sense  they  had  believed, 
in  that  they  were  fully  persuaded  that  he  was  the  Christ.  They  now 
wished  to  know  what  to  do,  in  order  that  they  might  become  fully 
reconciled  to  God,  whose  Son  they  had  rejected.  Peter  bade  them 
do  two  things,  (i)  "Repent."  What  a  short  word ;  and  yet  what  a 
volume  of  meaning !  To  repent  is  to  change  one's  mind.  It  is  not 
to  get  into  an  agony  of  soul,  but  it  is  to  give  up  a  wrong  position 
and  take  a  right  one.  It  is  to  come  to  God's  mind  about  things. 
These  men  had  assumed  that  Jesus  was  an  impostor  and  blasphemer, 
and  so  had  rejected  and  crucified  him ;  they  now  saw  that  he  was  the 
true  Messiah,  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  in  their  deed  they  had  not 
only  committed  the  most  horrible  crime  into  which  sin  had  ever  be- 
trayed the  world,  but  had  cut  themselves  off  from  all  salvation  by 
their  act.  Now,  Peter's  instruction  was  that  they  should  heartily 
and  frankly  abandon  their  past  attitude  toward  Jesus  Christ,  and  ac- 
cept the  truth  concerning  him  as  he  had  but  now  set  it  forth.  Thus 
repentance  is,  coming  to  a  right  mind  concerning  God  and  Jesus 
Christ,  which  act  of  course  discloses  and  acknowledges  the  fact  of 
our  own  sin ;  for  all  sin  is  the  result  of  a  wrong  mind  toward  God. 
Repentance  does  not  consist  in  sorrow  for  sin,  neither  in  the  forsak- 
ing of  sin  ;  but  where  true  repentance  is,  there  will  be  sorrow  for  sin, 
and  there  will  be  a  forsaking  of  wicked  ways  as  well  as  unrighteous 
thoughts.  (Is.  lv,  7.)  (ii)  After  repentance  came  the  command  to 
be  baptized :  "  Be  baptized,  every  one  of  you,  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus."  They  were  not  put  into  a  class,  but  commanded  in- 
stantly to  obey  God.  True  repentance  is  followed  by  a  true  faith, 
and  true  faith  is  the  readiness  of  mind  and  heart  to  obey  God. 
Baptism  was,  and  still  is,  that  ordinance  in  which  the  penitent  sin- 
ner confesses  both  his  sin  and  his  acceptance  of  Jesus  Christ,  pro- 
fessing identification  with  him  as  his  Saviour,  and  promising  him 
life-service  as  his  Lord.  When  I  truly  repent  of  my  sins,  and  be- 
lieving on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  am  baptized  into  his  name,  I  tes- 


FROM  DEATH   TO  LIFE.  225 

tif y  that  he  is  my  righteousness ;  that  by  dying  he  has  put  away  my 
sin,  and  by  rising  again  from  the  dead  he  has  justified  me  before 
God.  In  baptism,  by  virtue  of  the  death  and  resurrection  of  Jesus, 
I  become  joined  in  a  living  union  with  him.  This  I  think  is  the  key 
to  the  expression  "for  the  remission  of  sins."  We  are  not  baptized 
in  order  to  acquire  the  remission  of  sins,  for  "in  him  we  have 
....  the  forgiveness  of  sins "  (Eph.  i,  7) ;  but  by  baptism  we  ac- 
knowledge and  declare  that  we  take  for  our  own  that  remission 
which  Christ  has  purchased  for  us.  When  God  raised  up  Jesus  from 
the  dead,  it  was  as  though  he  had  given  him  receipt  in  full  for  the 
expiation  of  human  sin,  and  when  we  are  baptized,  it  is  as  though 
we  give  back  to  God  the  receipt  for  our  personal  remission.  There- 
fore Peter  says  that  baptism  is  the  "  answer  of  a  good  (or  purged) 
conscience  toward  God,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ."  (I. 
Pet.  iii,  21.)  We  do  not  issue  a  receipt  till  we  receive  the  money 
involved,  and  then  it  is  given  as  an  acknowledgment  of  debts  paid. 
In  like  manner  we  are  not  baptized  to  get  remission,  but  having 
received  forgiveness  of  sins  in  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  God's  gift  to  us, 
we  are  baptized  for  "remission,"  that  is,  in  acknowledgment  of  his 
gift  and  as  a  declaration  that  we  receive  it.  Then  follows  a  prom- 
ise :  "And  ye  shall  receive  the  Holy  Ghost."  This  is  the  gift  of 
God  to  the  obedient  believer.  The  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  some- 
thing other  than  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  bringing  about  our 
conviction  and  conversion.  A  peculiar  presence  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
comes  to  obedient  disciples  which  a  man  living  in  disobedience  can 
never  have.  Baptism,  then,  is  first  an  acknowledgment  of  sins  for- 
given in  Christ ;  but  also,  being  the  sign  of  our  obedience  to  God  in 
the  utter  surrender  of  our  lives  to  him,  it  becomes  the  condition  upon 
which  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  vouchsafed. 

3. — The  far-reaching  promise. — This  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
which  included  all  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel,  had  come  down  to 
this  generation  from  the  time  of  Joel  and  Isaiah,  and  was  to  be  con- 
tinued to  all  them  that  were  afar  off,  both  Jew  and  Gentile,  even  to 
as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  should  call  by  the  Gospel.  It  is,  then, 
a  promise  to  us  and  to  our  descendants.  Let  us  put  ourselves  back 
into  position  with  these  first  converts ;  let  us  receive  Christ  with  a 
like  simplicity  and  obedience  ;  then  shall  we  receive  the  Holy  Ghost 
with  a  like  copiousness.  We  talk  about  apostolic  times,  as  though 
there  was  some  peculiar  advantage  in  having  lived  at  that  period. 
But  it  was  not  the  presence  or  preaching  of  the  apostles  which 
marked  that  age ;  it  was  the  presence  and  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
That  presence  and  power  is  for  us  as  it  was  for  them,  if  we  will  turn 


226  THE   FIRST   CHRISTIAN   CHURCH. 

our  eyes  and  faith  upward  toward  Jesus,  and  not  back  upon  an  his- 
torical memory. 

4. — Further  instruction,  separation,  and  obedience. — Having 
thus  answered  the  urgent  cry  of  these  convicted  sinners,  the  apostles 
proceeded  to  give  them  further  instruction  confirmatory  of  their 
former  teaching.  "  And  with  many  other  words  did  he  testify  and 
exhort,  saying :  Save  yourselves  from  this  untoward  generation." 
The  Jews  as  a  people  (generation  or  race)  had  denied  and  crucified 
Christ ;  their  attitude  was  one  of  permanent  opposition  to  him.  If 
these  convicted  sinners  were  really  anxious  to  make  their  peace  with 
God  by  accepting  Jesus  Christ,  then  they  were  not  only  to  confess 
their  sins  and  Jesus  in  baptism,  but  to  separate  themselves  from 
their  generation.  "  Come  out  from  among  them  and  be  ye  separate, 
saith  the  Lord,  and  I  will  receive  you,  and  will  be  a  Father  unto 
you,  and  ye  shall  be  my  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Al- 
mighty." A  real  Christian  life  is  a  separated  life.  We  cannot 
choose  Christ  and  at  the  same  time  retain  the  fellowship  of  the 
world  that  hates  and  rejects  him.  In  response  to  the  instruction 
given  by  the  apostle  in  answer  to  their  question,  "  What  shall  we 
do?"  they  testified  the  sincerity  of  their  repentance,  and  the  genu- 
ineness of  their  faith,  by  submitting  at  once  to  the  baptism  which 
the  apostles  urged  upon  them  :  "  Then  they  that  gladly  received  his 
word  were  baptized."  Only  glad  converts  should  be  baptized,  and 
gladness  can  never  come  to  any  heart  that  does  not  receive  the  word 
of  God.  God's  word  is  full  of  good  news  to  the  sinner,  and  if  re- 
ceived, it  will  awake  gladness  in  the  heart,  and  which  is  partly 
seen  in  joyful  and  prompt  obedience.  These  men  in  their  baptism 
accepted  separation  from  the  generation  of  them  that  hated  Christ, 
as  well  as  union  with  Christ.  Baptism  is  a  kind  of  Red  Sea  through 
which  we  pass  out  of  Egypt  up  into  the  good  land  and  large  which 
God  gives  us.  Baptism,  rightly  apprehended,  should  mark  the  line 
of  separation  between  the  believer  and  the  world.  Hence  it  ought 
never  to  be  administered  except  where  there  is  a  lively  faith  and  a 
voluntary  consecration  of  soul  to  God. 

II.— CHARACTERISTICS   OF  THE  FIRST  CHRISTIAN 
CHURCH. 

On  that  memorable  day  three  thousand  souls  were  converted, 
baptized,  and  added  to  the  number  of  disciples  which  Jesus  had  left 
behind  him,  and  upon  whom  the  Holy  Ghost  was  first  poured  out. 
It  is  interesting  and  instructive  to  note  the  chief  characteristics  of 


THE   FIRST   CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  227 

that  first  company  of  believers ;  the  prototype  of  all  the  subsequent 
Churches  of  Christ. 

1. — The  basis  of  union. — We  do  not  read  that  there  was  any 
formal  organization  among  these  first  disciples.  They  were  bound 
together  by  a  common  life,  and  manifested  that  union  through  cer- 
tain simple  beliefs  and  practices,  which  are  noted  in  the  forty-second 
verse :  "  And  they  continued  steadfastly  in  the  apostles'  doctrine 
and  fellowship,  and  in  the  breaking  of  bread  and  in  prayers."  Now, 
here  we  have  the  external  basis  of  all  true  Christian  union.  "  The 
apostles'  doctrine."  That  was  not  a  theological  system,  but  simply 
that  God  had  made  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  whom  the  Jews  crucified, 
both  Lord  and  Christ,  by  raising  him  from  the  dead.  All  who  own 
and  confess  Jesus  Christ  as  Saviour  and  Lord,  ought  to  be  received 
into  the  fellowship  of  the  Christian  Church.  Fellowship  is  based  on 
a  common  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  which  must  be  steadfastly  main- 
tained and  ever  strongly  emphasized.  Whosoever  believes  and  ac- 
cepts Jesus  Christ  as  Saviour  and  Lord  and  is  baptized  in  his  name, 
is  my  brother,  nor  can  anything  separate  him  from  me.  "The 
breaking  of  bread "  undoubtedly  refers  to  the  simple  ordinance  of 
memorial  which  Jesus  gave  to  his  disciples  on  the  night  before  his 
crucufixion,  and  which  we  are  commanded  to  celebrate  in  remem- 
brance of  him  till  he  come  again.  Then  we  have  "prayers."  No 
Church  can  live,  no  fellowship  can  be  maintained,  no  ordinances 
will  speak  truth  in  power  to  us  if  we  are  not  given  to  prayer,  if  we 
do  not  by  its  means  keep  up  living  and  spiritual  communion  with 
God;  and  that,  too,  not  private  prayer  alone,  but  associated  and 
united. 

2. — Community  and  benevolence. — "  And  all  that  believed  were 
together  and  had  all  things  common ;  and  sold  their  possessions 
and  goods  and  parted  them  to  all  men  as  every  man  had  need."  The 
first  effect  of  the  Spirit  in  men  is  to  bring  them  together.  A  new 
kinship  is  set  up  among  men  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus.  The  Spirit 
brings  us  to  and  unites  us  with  Christ,  and  that  which  makes  us  kin 
to  him  makes  us  kin  to  each  other.  As  there  is  a  common  posses- 
sion among  members  of  the  same  family  on  earth,  so  there  is  also  in 
the  spiritual  family  of  God.  Owing  to  the  exigencies  of  the  times 
at  this  period,  when  the  confession  of  Christ  involved  the  parting  of 
the  young  converts  in  many  cases  from  their  own  families  according 
to  the  flesh,  perhaps  the  separation  of  husbands  from  wives,  and  chil- 
dren from  parents,  it  was  meet  that  the  first  Christian  Church  should 
become  for  the  time  being  an  external  community,  and  that  the  rich 
should  share  their  possessions  with  the  poor.     Though  the  details  of 


228  THE   FIRST   CHRISTIAN   CHURCH. 

this  community  of  life,  fellowship,  and  possession  may  not  have 
been,  and  indeed  was  not  long  carried  out  in  the  first  Church,  the 
spirit  of  it  always  has  continued,  and  does  to  this  day,  though  not 
in  such  strength  and  power  as  might  be.  All  Christians  are  brethren 
in  one  family.  I  belong  to  my  brother  in  all  that  I  am  and  have. 
Nothing  that  I  have  is  my  own ;  it  is  God's,  and  must  be  used  for  God. 
And  if  we  see  our  brother  have  need  and  shut  up  our  bowels  of  com- 
passion from  him,  how  dwelleth  the  love  of  God  in  us  ? 

3. — Continuing  in  fellowship. — The  proceedings  of  the  Church 
were  extraordinary.  "For  a  time  they  continued  daily  with  one 
accord,  in  the  temple,  and  from  house  to  house,  breaking  bread  and 
eating  their  meat  with  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart."  This  was 
a  time  of  refreshing,  and  for  the  time  it  was  only  natural  that  every- 
thing should  give  place  to  the  religious  enthusiasm  and  the  joy  of 
the  new  life  that  filled  and  swept  every  heart.  By  and  by  sterner 
times  would  come.  Let  them  have  this  little  time  of  triumphant 
gladness.  The  criticism  so  often  flung  at  the  excitement  produced 
by  revivals  of  religion  is  as  puerile  as  it  is  unjust.  The  Church  to- 
day is  not  suffering  from  excitement,  but  is  in  danger  of  dying 
from  the  effect  of  cold  proprieties ;  lifeless  as  they  are  cold. 

4. — The  results  following. — These  were  various.  In  the  first 
place,  "fear  came  upon  every  soul."  That  is,  all  the  believers  were 
filled  with  a  holy  and  reverent  fear  of  God.  The  awe  of  the  Al- 
mighty was  upon  them.  Then,  under  the  tremendous  pressure  of 
spiritual  power,  "  many  wonders  and  signs  were  done  by  the  apostles." 
We  are  never  told  that  the  power  to  work  miracles  was  ever  given  to 
the  ordinary  disciples,  but  to  them  who  were  specially  chosen  to  be 
the  witnesses  of  Christ's  resurrection.  Yet  there  will  always  be 
miracles  of  grace  present  in  the  Church  if  the  Spirit  be  poured  out. 
Further,  we  are  told  that  they  had  "favor  with  all  people."  God 
gives  favor  with  people  in  times  of  refreshing  such  as  this,  that  the 
final  result  may  follow,  as  in  this  case:  "And  the  Lord  added  to 
the  Church  daily  such  as  were  being  saved."  Happy  and  prosperous 
was  the  Church  then ;  and  how  happy  and  prosperous  might  the 
Church  now  be  if  its  whole  life  and  action  were  directed  wholly  in 
such  a  simple  spirit  of  dependence  on  the  power  of  the  Spirit ! 


July  Sic,  1893. 


XXX. 

THE    LAME    MAN     HEALED.— Acts  iii,    1-16. 

(1)  Now  Peter  and  John  went  up  together  into  the  temple  at  the  hour  of  prayer, 
being  the  ninth  hour.  (2)  And  a  certain  man  lame  from  his  mother's  womb 
was  carried,  whom  they  laid  daily  at  the  gate  of  the  temple  which  is  called  Beauti- 
ful, to  ask  alms  of  them  who  entered  into  the  temple  ;  (3)  Who,  seeing  Peter  and 
John  about  to  go  into  the  temple,  asked  an  alms.  (4)  And  Peter,  fastening  his  eyes 
upon  him  with  John,  said,  Look  on  us.  (5)  And  he  gave  heed  unto  them,  expect- 
ing to  receive  something  of  them.  (6)  Then  Peter  said,  Silver  and  gold  have  I  none; 
but  such  as  I  have  give  I  thee  :  In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth  rise  up 
and  walk.  (7)  And  he  took  him  by  the  right  hand,  and  lifted  him  up  :  and  imme- 
diately his  feet  and  ankle  bones  received  strength.  (8)  And  he  leaping  up  stood, 
and  walked,  and  entered  with  them  into  the  temple,  walking,  and  leaping,  and  prais- 
ing God.  (9)  And  all  the  people  saw  him  walking  and  praising  God  :  (10)  And  they 
knew  that  it  was  he  which  sat  for  alms  at  the  Eeautiful  gate  of  the  temple  :  and  they 
were  filled  with  wonder  and  amazement  at  that  which  had  happened  unto  him.  (11) 
And  as  the  lame  man  which  was  healed  held  Peter  and  John,  all  the  people  ran  to- 
gether unto  them  in  the  porch  that  is  called  Solomon's,  greatly  wondering.  (12)  And 
when  Peter  saw  it,  he  answered  unto  the  people,  Ye  men  of  Israel,  why  marvel  ye  at 
this  ?  or  why  look  ye  so  earnestly  on  us,  as  though  by  our  own  power  or  holiness  we 
had  made  this  man  to  walk  ?  (13)  The  God  of  Abraham,  and  of  Isaac,  and  of  Jacob, 
the  God  of  our  fathers,  hath  glorified  his  Son  Jesus  ;  whom  ye  delivered  up,  and  de- 
nied him  in  the  presence  of  Pilate,  when  he  was  determined  to  let  him  go.  (14)  But 
ye  denied  the  Holy  One  and  the  Just,  and  desired  a  murderer  to  be  granted  unto  you; 
(15)  And  killed  the  Prince  of  life,  whom  God  hath  raised  from  the  dead  ;  whereof  we 
are  witnesses.  (16)  And  his  name,  through  faith  in  his  name,  hath  made  this  man 
strong,  whom  ye  see  and  know  :  yea,  the  faith  which  is  by  him  hath  given  him  this 
perfect  soundness  in  the  presence  of  you  all.— Acts  iii,  1-1G. 

We  do  not  know  how  long  after  Pentecost  had  intervened  before 
the  event  recorded  in  this  chapter  took  place.  Perhaps  only  some 
days,  possibly  several  weeks.  The  first  excitement  and  holy  en- 
thusiasm generated  by  the  descent  of  the  Spirit  had  somewhat  sub- 
sided, at  least  in  outward  appearance,  and  the  more  practical  and 
ordinary  work  of  the  Church  and  disciples  had  begun.  For  a  sea- 
son the  disciples  were  all  together,  going  about  from  house  to 
house  in  the  city,  daily  celebrating  the  Lord's  Supper,  singing  and 
praying,  while  the  apostles  were  doing  signs  and  wonders.  The 
Church  was  awed  as  well  as  exalted  by  such  a  season ;  the  peo- 
ple were  filled  with  fear ;  many  were  being  convicted  of  their  sins 

229 


230  THE   LAME   MAN   HEALED. 

and  converted  to  Christ.  It  was  a  time  of  high  privilege ;  a  midsum- 
mer of  light  and  life  ;  but  the  manifestation  of  the  Spirit  was  not  to 
continue  in  such  a  manner  forever.  We  could  not  bear  such  a  high 
pitch  of  spiritual  enthusiasm  as  that.  After  the  thunder  and  the 
lightning  and  pour  of  rain,  there  comes  the  soft  and  clear  shining 
of  the  sun ;  the  rain  dries  up,  the  winds  temper  down  to  soft  and 
warm  air  that  gently  fans  the  earth  as  if  to  coax  the  seed  out  of  the 
ground.  The  rain  has  disappeared  from  the  atmosphere ;  it  has  dis- 
appeared from  the  ground,  inasmuch  as  it  has  sunken  into  the 
ground  and  is  now  working  its  silent  but  mighty  ministry  about  the 
roots  of  the  budding  seeds  of  earth.  So  do  signal  times  of  refresh- 
ing act  upon  the  people  of  God.  Let  us  not  despise  or  undervalue 
seasons  of  extraordinary  religious  enthusiasm,  or  even  religious  ex- 
citement ;  but  let  us  not  suppose  that  the  Lord's  work  cannot  go  on 
without  daily  recurrence  of  such  scenes  as  that  of  this  day  of  Pente- 
cost. We  had  the  Pentecost  at  the  beginning ;  but,  so  far  as  we 
know,  it  was  never  repeated,  in  form  or  manifestation,  again,  though 
the  power  then  given  was  continued  throughout  the  apostolic  age, 
and,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  has  been  ever  since.  When  the  es- 
tate of  religion  has  fallen  low  and  spiritual  life  has  become  power- 
less, it  has  pleased  God  again  and  again  to  give  to  the  Church,  in 
answer  to  the  prayers  of  longing  souls  therein,  fresh  baptisms  of  the 
Spirit  and  demonstrations  of  divine  power  in  great  revivals.  But  in 
the  meantime  the  quiet  work  of  individual  disciples  is  to  go  on  in 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth.  Hitherto  the  Church  had 
kept  together ;  but  now  we  see  it  separating  or  dividing  itself  up 
into  working  parties.  The  first  chapter  has  shown  us  the  Church 
waiting ;  the  second,  the  Church  worshiping ;  and  the  third,  the 
Church  working.  And  this  working  Church  is  set  forth  before  us 
not  as  a  mass  of  people  together,  but  in  the  persons  of  two  disciples, 
who  had  come  together  by  natural  affinity  and  were  pursuing  the 
work  of  God  in  fellowship.  This  does  not  imply  that  they  were 
divided  in  heart,  doctrine,  or  fellowship,  from  the  rest  of  the  breth- 
ren, but  that  they  were  working  out  their  own  individual  responsi- 
bility. It  will  be  a  happy  and  glorious  day  for  the  Church  when  the 
disciples  begin  to  go  out  by  twos  and  threes,  to  do  whatsoever  their 
hands  find  to  do. 

I.— TRUE   YOKE-FELLOWS. 

We   have   no   account  of  what  in  the  meantime  the  other  dis- 
ciples and  apostles  were  doing.     No  doubt  they  also  were  at  work 


TRUE  YOKE-FELLOWS.  231 

in  the  city  on  some  such  plan  as  is  seen  in  connection  with  the  ac- 
count here  given  of  Peter  and  John.  The  Acts  only  professes  to 
give  a  sample  of  what  the  Holy  Spirit  did  through  the  disciples, 
and  not  to  be  a  complete  record  of  all  that  Jesus  continued  to  do 
from  heaven ;  any  more  than  the  Gospel  narratives  pretend  to  give 
a  complete  record  of  all  the  sayings  and  doings  of  Jesus,  but  only 
enough  to  enable  those  who  read  the  story  to  know  that  Jesus  is 
the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  we  have  sure  warrant  to  be- 
lieve on  his  name.  But  in  the  companionship  and  acts  of  Peter  and 
John  we  have  some  suggestive  hints. 

1. — A  close  personal  friendship. — Among  the  apostles  there  were 
two  sets  of  brothers — John  and  James,  and  Peter  and  Andrew. 
Why  the  brothers  did  not  pair  off  and  go  together  according  to  the 
ties  of  flesh  and  nature,  we  do  not  know ;  only  we  know  that  John 
and  Peter  were,  and  had  long  been,  closest  of  friends.  There  is  a 
spiritual  tie  sometimes  existing  between  Christians  that  is  even 
closer  and  dearer  than  that  existing  between  brothers  after  the  flesh. 
We  first  see  Peter  and  John  together  at  the  trial  of  Jesus  (John 
xviii,  15) ;  then  again  on  the  morning  of  the  resurrection  (John  xx, 
2-4) ;  and  again  in  strange  juxtaposition  (John  xxi,  18-21),  where  the 
Master  contrasted  before  them  the  different  manners  in  which  they 
should  glorify  him ;  and  now  here  in  Acts  iii,  and  again  in  iv,  13.  19, 
viii,  14,  15.  The  common  fellowship  that  all  Christians  have  with 
each  other  in  Christ  does  not  prevent  or  impeach  those  speeial 
friendships  which  grow  up  between  Christians  in  the  course  of  life 
and  work.  Paul  had  his  special  companions  and  intimate  friends 
in  Luke,  Barnabas,  Silas,  and  Mark.  Sometimes  he  was  seen  in 
intimate  relationship  with  one  and  sometimes  with  another.  Luke 
and  Timothy  always  shared  his  deepest  attachment.  Paul  was 
specially  attached  to  Timothy,  while  Luke  seemed  to  be  especially 
attached  to  Paul.  Sometimes  the  attachment  is  stronger  on  one  side 
than  on  the  other ;  and  sometimes  it  is  balanced  by  an  even  weight 
of  love. 

2. — Unity  in  diversity. — In  such  friendships  we  are  struck  with 
the  diversity  of  gifts  and  temperaments  seen  in  two  closely  attached 
Christian  friends.  Naturally  Peter  and  John  were  almost  direct  op- 
posites  in  nature — Peter  more  impulsive  and  John  more  steadfast ; 
Peter  of  a  quick  and  outspoken  temperament,  and  John  of  the  silent 
and  meditative  sort.  Yet  they  complemented  and  supplemented 
each  other.  John  was  attracted  by  Peter's  bold  eagerness,  while 
Peter  was  helped  and  toned  down  by  John's  quiet  thoughtfulness. 
There  was  no  jealousy  between  them.     Peter  is  spokesman ;  John 


232  THE  LAME   MAN   HEALED. 

seems  content  to  stand  silently  by  his  side  and  back  him  up  by  his 
presence  in  all  that  he  does  and  says.  How  delightful  it  is  to  be 
knit  together  in  such  a  bond  ! 

3. — Yoked  for  service. — We  see  these  two  apostles  united  in 
their  spiritual  lives  and  purposes.  It  is  true  that  the  Old  Testament 
economy  has  ceased  with  the  descent  of  the  Spirit,  and  yet  we  find 
these  two  disciples  going  up  to  the  temple  at  the  hour  of  prayer. 
We  may  continue  to  pray  even  in  a  house  where  God  has  ceased  to 
work.  They  probably  wished  to  testify  to  their  countrymen  that, 
though  they  were  the  disciples  of  Jesus,  they  were  also  the  worship- 
ers of  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob.  It  is  not  well  too 
abruptly  to  abandon  those  from  whom  we  have  become  separated  by 
conversion  to  Christ ;  and  it  is  certainly  always  right  to  pray.  They 
went  up  to  the  temple  to  pray  and  to  do  any  service  for  Christ  that 
might  come  in  their  way.  They  did  not  have  to  wait  long  for  an  op- 
portunity and  an  occasion  to  do  something  for  Jesus,  and  to  testify 
to  him  most  powerfully  by  deed  and  speech.  The  disciples  will 
ever  find  work  if  they  will  but  put  themselves  in  the  way  of  it. 

II.— THE   LAME   MAN. 

At  the  gate  Beautiful,  as  they  entered  the  temple,  they  encount- 
ered a  lame  man,  who  had  been  thus  crippled  from  his  birth.  It  was 
the  habit  of  his  friends  to  carry  him  daily  and  lay  him  at  that  gate, 
whereat  probably  most  of  the  worshipers  entered,  that  he  might  the 
more  likely  receive  the  benefits  of  the  charity  of  the  incomers.  In 
considering  him  we  may  take  two  views  of  his  case. 

1. — Consider  the  man  simply  as  in  physical  need. — Lame  from 
his  birth ;  a  helpless  and  poor  cripple.  Nothing  could  possibly  be 
more  distressing  or  dispiriting.  Perhaps  that  wretched  man  had 
spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  at  the  Beautiful  gate  asking  and 
receiving  alms.  Afflictions  such  as  his  are  not  directly  traceable 
either  to  his  own  or  to  his  parents'  sins  (John  ix,  3) ;  but  all  such 
afflictions,  and  all  afflictions,  are  traceable  at  last  to  sin.  Sin  has 
brought  every  disorder  known  to  man  into  the  world.  Sometimes, 
in  our  folly,  we  ascribe  such  things  to  God,  while  in  reality  God  has 
had  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  them.  There  is,  however,  a  beau- 
tiful suggestion  in  this — that  the  Beautiful  Gate  of  the  house  of  God 
is  the  best  place  to  bring  our  own  afflictions,  the  best  place  whither 
to  carry  our  afflicted  friends.  If  the  temple  is  the  place  where  God 
meets  his  people,  and  if  we  may  adopt  the  suggestion  of  some  of  the 
early  Christians,  that  the  Beautiful  Gate  was  the  type  of  Christ, 


THE   LAME   MAN.  233 

surely  this  was  where  such  a  man  would  most  naturally  find  relief, 
both  temporally  and  spiritually.  He  had  a  right  to  expect  an  alms 
of  true  worshipers  if  his  was  a  case  of  real  need.  For  how  can  a 
true  worshiper  go  forward  to  pray,  and  at  the  same  time  shut  up  his 
bowels  of  compassion  from  his  needy  brother? 

2. — Consider  the  man  as  a  type  of  spiritual  helplessness. — 
How  fit  he  was  to  set  forth  man's  helpless  condition  before  God. 
Born  to  an  inheritance  of  helplessness.  Past  and  beyond  all  hope 
of  help  from  human  power.  If  God  did  not  help  him,  he  never  could 
have  help.  How  natural,  then,  for  him  to  desire  to  be  carried  to  the 
house  of  God  and  laid  down  at  the  gate  of  prayer.  That  was  the 
best  service  his  friends  could  do  for  him,  to  take  him  daily  thither. 
In  such  a  case  it  is  not  alms  but  prayers  that  are  asked ;  in  such  a 
case  it  is  not  the  dribblings  of  conventional  charity,  but  the  fervent 
effectual  prayer  of  righteous  men,  that  will  bring  help  to  the  sick. 
There  is  a  parable  in  this  event  presently  worked  out  in  fuller  sig- 
nificance before  the  eyes  of  the  people,  in  which  God,  his  saints, 
and  the  afflicted  man  all  unite  for  the  healing  miracle. 

3. — Helpless  man  and  the  helpful  Gospel. — In  this  incident  we 
see  one  or  two  very  practical  lessons  which  we  are  always  apt  to 
overlook  in  the  matter  of  alms-giving.  It  is  significant  that,  on  this 
first  occasion  when  the  disciples  of  Christ  came  into  contact  with 
confirmed  poverty,  of  helpless  physical  need,  they  gave  no  money, 
but  wonderfully  and  powerfully  gave  a  better  help.  From  which  we 
gather  that  man's  real  need  is  much  deeper  than  that  which  money 
can  reach ;  that  the  Gospel  has  something  infinitely  better  to  give  to 
man  than  money.  Jesus,  indeed,  healed  the  sick,  and  cured  the 
lepers,  the  blind,  the  deaf,  the  dumb,  but  when  he  said  to  the  par- 
alytic who  was  let  down  through  the  roof,  "  Son,  be  of  good  courage, 
thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee;"  he  had  bestowed  a  better  gift  than  by 
the  healing  of  his  body.  When  Peter  bade  the  man  stand  up  and 
be  whole:  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  he  did  for  him  a  benefit 
far  transcending  any  temporary  help  he  might  have  brought  by  a 
gift  of  silver  or  gold.  It  is,  in  the  long  run,  far  better  to  put  men  in 
the  way  of  helping  themselves  than  to  give  them  help  for  the  mo- 
ment. If  the  Gospel  of  Christ  can,  will,  and  does  take  men  who  are 
down  in  this  world,  lift  them  up  and  strengthen  them  to  stand,  to 
walk,  and  to  leap  with  a  new  gladness  of  life  and  hope,  that  is  bet- 
ter a  thousand-fold  than  to  feed  and  clothe  them,  for  then  they  can 
feed  and  clothe  themselves  with  the  blessing  of  God  by  means  of 
their  own  honest  labor. 


234  THE   LAME   MAN  HEALED. 


III.— THE  MIRACLE. 


As  Peter  and  John  were  about  to  pass  into  the  temple,  the  lame 
man  made  his  appeal  to  them,  as  he  had  done  for  years  to  every  one 
that  passed  that  way.  We  have  no  reason  to  believe  that  his  appeal 
was  directed  to  John  and  Peter  with  any  special  reference  to  their 
being  disciples  of  Christ.  He  probably  did  not  know  them  from  any 
others  in  the  passing  throng.  However,  it  is  not  necessary  that  we 
be  known  to  the  helpless  in  order  to  respond  to  their  cry  and  give 
them  help.  The  man  did  not  cry  in  vain.  A  sudden  impulse  of  the 
Spirit  took  possession  of  Peter,  and  he  knew  instantly  what  to  do. 
In  the  miracle  we  see  how  the  name  of  Jesus  is  made  efficient  by  the 
use  of  means. 

1. — The  name  of  Jesus. — Whatever  good  we  may  be  permitted 
to  do  in  this  world,  if  it  is  to  be  permanent,  it  must  be  done  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth.  "  Without  me,"  said  Jesus,  "ye 
can  do  nothing."  Perhaps  Peter  remembered  that  saying  in  that 
critical  moment.  The  name  of  Jesus  stands  for  his  authority  and 
his  power.  It  stands  for  his  goodness  and  his  grace.  It  stands  for 
all  his  promises  which  he  has  made  to  saints  and  to  sinners.  Further 
on,  when  we  come  to  the  address  of  Peter,  that  name  is  lifted  up 
and  glorified,  and  the  power  of  it  is  made  manifest.  Let  us  remem- 
ber that  it  is  only  in  this  almighty  name  that  we  can  do  anything. 
If  we  go  forth  to  work  in  our  own  name,  or  in  the  name  of  our 
Church,  or  our  sect,  or  our  party,  we  are  not  only  doomed  to  failure, 
but  will  only  make  matters  worse  by  adding  distraction  and  confu- 
sion. 

2. — The  agency  of  the  apostles  in  the  miracle. — The  name  of 
Jesus  is  powerful,  but  it  has  pleased  him  to  call  his  people  into  fel- 
lowship with  himself  in  the  blessed  work  of  his  grace.  When  Peter 
said  to  the  man  somewhat  peremptorily,  "Look  on  us,"  he  did  not 
mean  to  imply  that  they  had  any  power  in  themselves ;  but  they 
wished  the  man  to  concentrate  his  thoughts  for  a  moment,  lifting 
them  above  their  habitual  sluggishness.  Certainly  the  man  expected 
to  receive  some*silver  or  gold ;  but  this  expectation  was  speedily  dis- 
sipated by  the  declaration  of  Peter  that  he  had  none.  He,  however, 
before  the  man's  disappointment  had  time  to  crystallize,  made  such 
an  astonishing  speech  to  him  that  he  was  thrilled  through  and 
through.  "  In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth,  rise  up  and 
walk."  He  then  suited  action  to  word,  and  took  the  man  by  the 
hand  and  lifted  him  up,  and  immediately  his  feet  and  ankle  bones 


THE   MIRACLE.  235 

received  strength.  Jesus  from  above  sent  forth  a  divine  energy  that 
entered  the  man's  body  contemporaneously  with  the  word  and  the 
helping  hand  of  Peter. 

3. — The  man's  faith. — It  is  not  expressed  in  the  story,  but  it  is 
there  by  implication.  He  was  commanded  to  rise  up  and  walk,  and 
with  that  command  a  helping  hand  went  forth,  and  perhaps  at  the 
same  moment  a  thrill  of  new  life  went  coursing  and  burning  through 
his  feet  and  ankle  bones.  At  any  rate,  the  word  was  no  sooner 
spoken  than  the  man  leaped  up,  and  stood  and  walked,  and  went 
into  the  temple  with  the  apostles.  Divine  strength  and  healing  goes 
forth  with  the  word  of  God,  and  acts  instantly  in  those  who  immedi- 
ately and  heartily  respond  to  it.  So  quickly  may  souls  dead  in  tres- 
passes and  sins  be  quickened  into  life  and  delivered  from  the  power 
of  Satan  unto  God.  They  have  but  to  believe,  rise  up,  and  walk. 
Let  us  remember,  also,  that  while  we  preach  the  life-giving  Gospel 
to  others,  we  must  also  reach  forth  the  sympathetic  and  helping 
hand.  A  little  help  given  will  encourage  faith.  We  could  not,  by 
all  our  power,  set  life  in  motion,  but  we  can  lift  a  hesitating  soul 
over  the  dead  point  of  doubt,  and  so  put  him  into  the  orbit  of  power. 

4. — The  effect  of  the  miracle. — This  is  seen  first  upon  the  man 
himself.  The  movement  of  God's  power  was  in  perfect  order ;  first 
the  ankle  bones  received  strength,  then  the  man  sprang  to  his  feet, 
then  he  stood  for  a  moment,  then  he  walked,  and  then  he  began 
leaping  about,  rejoicing  in  the  new-found  strength  to  which  he  had 
all  his  life  been  a  stranger.  His  soul  was  filled  likewise  with  praise, 
whereto  he  was  not  slow  to  give  expression.  Alas,  that  in  our  day 
the  cold  proprieties  of  a  conventional  and  custom-bound  world  have 
served  an  injunction  for  the  suppression  of  all  natural  and  sponta- 
neous expressions  of  joy  in  the  salvation  of  God  when  it  comes  to 
men.  We  are  forever  being  exhorted  to  be  decorous  and  proper ; 
just  as  if  it  were  not  proper  that  a  man  healed  from  his  infirmity 
should  walk,  and  leap,  and  praise  God.  The  effect  was  startling  on 
the  people  who  witnessed  the  miracle,  who  recognized  the  man  walk- 
ing about  and  leaping  and  praising  God,  who  for  years  had  sat  beg- 
ging at  the  Beautiful  gate.  They  were  filled  with  wonder  and 
amazement  at  what  had  happened  to  him ;  and  as  he  stood  holding 
fast  to  Peter  and  John,  as  a  little  child  clings  to  his  parents  after  his 
first  essay  at  walking,  the  people  outside  the  temple,  hearing  of  the 
miracle,  ran  together  to  the  inside.  We  only  need  such  startling 
and  evident  miracles  of  grace  to  astonish  and  arouse  the  people 
again.  Would  to  God  that  such  power,  not  over  bodies,  but  over 
souls,  might  come  to  men  in  our  day ! 


23G  THE   LAME   MAN   HEALED. 


IV— PETER'S  ADDRESS. 

Peter  now  takes  occasion  to  make  an  address  to  the  people ;  for 
they  were  all  filled  with  admiration  and  were  looking  from  the  healed 
cripple  to  the  apostles,  not  knowing  what  to  think.  It  has  been  said 
that  this  speech  of  Peter's  was  a  greater  miracle  than  the  healing  of 
the  lame  man.  Certainly  it  was  a  marvel  of  composition,  eloquence, 
boldness,  directness,  and  power. 

1. — He  disclaims  all  independent  power  in  the  matter. — He 
had  been  God's  instrument,  but  was  not  the  power  that  wrought  the 
miracle.  No  vanity  had  entered  the  mind  of  these  two  men.  They 
were  indeed  filled  with  the  Spirit,  and  conscious  of  divine  virtue 
flowing  into  and  through  them,  but  not  for  an  instant  would  they 
tolerate  the  thought  working  in  the  minds  of  the  people,  that  they 
had  cured  the  man.  "  Not  unto  us,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name 
be  the  glory,"  was  the  thought  of  their  hearts.  Like  the  great 
apostle  to  the  Gentiles,  they  disclaimed  even  sufficiency  to  think  as 
they  ought  to  think,  much  more  such  power  as  this  miracle  indicated. 

2. — He  boldly  charges  them  with  the  crime  of  the  murder  of 
Jesus. — The  full  measure  of  the  guilt  of  the  nation  had  not  come 
home  to  the  people,  and  Peter  now  takes  this  opportunity  of  telling 
them  that  the  man  whom  they  had  crucified  was  none  other  than  the 
Son  of  God ;  that,  moreover,  it  was  through  his  name  that  the  man 
was  healed.  He  specifies  their  guilt.  They  delivered  him  up  to 
Pilate,  then  refused  him  when  Pilate  would  have  let  him  go ;  they 
desired  a  murderer  to  be  released  in  his  stead,  and  killed  the  Prince 
of  Life.  We  can  fancy  these  words  piercing  and  cutting  to  the  very 
hearts  of  the  hearers.  But  is  not  the  world  doing  the  same  with 
Jesus  now?  and  will  not  the  unbeliever  be  called  on  to  answer  at  the 
bar  of  God  for  his  rejection  of  Christ,  no  less  than  the  Jew  for  the 
murder  of  the  Prince  of  Life  ? 

3. — Jesus  was  the  Son  of  God. — For  affirming  this  of  himself 
the  Jews  crucified  Jesus.  Now  Peter  boldly  tells  them  that  the  God 
of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  the  God  of  their  fathers,  had  glorified 
Jesus,  whom  they  had  slain,  and  had  declared  him  to  be  the  Son  of 
God,  by  raising  him  from  the  dead.  He  gives  him  all  the  full  titles 
of  the  Divine  Messiah,  Son  of  God,  and  Prince  of  Life.  He  declares 
again  in  their  presence  that  they  were  the  witnesses  of  the  fact  of 
the  resurrection.  He  does  not  draw  this  fearful  indictment  in  venge- 
ance or  wrath,  but  rather  in  order  to  move  them  to  repentance, 
and  to  win  them  through  faith  back  to  their  Lord.     So  should  we 


PETER'S  ADDRESS.  ,         237 

always  do  in  charging  home  sin  upon  men ;  not  to  condemn,  but  to 
save  them. 

4. — Power  belongs  still  to  Jesus. — He  now  tells  them  that, 
though  Jesus  has  gone  up  on  high  through  the  resurrection,  he  still 
has  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  at  his  disposal,  and  that  he  is  no 
less  able  to  carry  forward  his  work  on  earth  from  the  high  vantage- 
point  of  heaven  than  when  he  was  living  and  walking  among  men. 
The  name  of  Jesus  is  full  of  power.  That  power  is  available  for  sal- 
vation through  faith.  Peter  therefore  begs  them  to  repent  of  their  sin 
and  be  converted,  lest  they  should  be  found  with  their  awful  guilt 
upon  them  when  Jesus  shall  come  again  to  restore  the  kingdom  of 
God  and  refresh  the  earth  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord.  When 
that  day  shall  come,  may  none  of  us  be  found  with  a  like  sin  laid  at 
our  door,  but  rather  waiting  in  glad  expectation  for  our  Redeemer. 


July  31,  1892. 


XXXI. 

PETER    AND    JOHN     BEFORE    THE    COUNCIL— Acts 
iv,    1-18. 

(1)  And  as  they  spake  unto  the  people,  the  priests,  and  the  captain  of  the  tem- 
ple, and  the  Sadducees,  came  upon  them,  (2)  Being  grieved  that  they  taught  the 
people,  and  preached  through  Jesus  the  resurrection  from  the  dead.  (3)  And  they 
laid  hands  on  them,  and  put  them  in  hold  unto  the  next  day  :  for  it  was  now  even- 
tide. (4)  Howbeit  many  of  them  which  heard  the  word  believed  ;  and  the  number 
of  the  men  was  about  five  thousand.  (5)  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  morrow,  that 
their  rulers,  and  elders,  and  scribes,  (6)  And  Annas  the  high  priest,  and  Caiaphas, 
and  John,  and  Alexander,  and  as  many  as  were  of  the  kindred  of  the  high  priest, 
were  gathered  together  at  Jerusalem.  (7)  And  when  they  had  set  them  in  the  midst, 
they  asked,  By  what  power,  or  by  what  name,  have  ye  done  this  ?  (8)  Then  Peter, 
filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  said  unto  them,  Ye  rulers  of  the  people,  and  elders  of 
Israel,  (9)  If  we  this  day  he  examined  of  the  good  deed  done  to  the  impotent  man, 
by  what  means  he  is  made  whole  ;  (10)  Be  it  known  unto  you  all,  and  to  all  the 
people  of  Israel,  that  by  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth,  whom  ye  crucified, 
whom  God  raised  from  the  dead,  even  by  him  doth  this  man  stand  here  before  you 
whole.  (11)  This  is  the  stone  which  was  set  at  nought  of  you  builders  which  is  be- 
come the  head  of  the  corner.  (12)  Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other :  for  there 
is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved.  (13) 
Now  when  they  saw  the  boldness  of  Peter  and  John,  and  perceived  that  they  were 
unlearned  and  ignorant  men,  they  marvelled  ;  and  they  took  knowledge  of  them, 
that  they  had  been  with  Jesus.  (14)  And  beholding  the  man  which  was  healed 
standing  with  them,  they  could  say  nothing  against  it.  (15)  But  when  they  had 
commanded  them  to  go  aside  out  of  the  council,  they  conferred  among  themselves, 
(16)  Saying,  What  shall  we  do  to  these  men  ?  for  that  indeed  a  notable  miracle  hath 
been  done  by  them  is  manifest  to  all  them  that  dwell  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  we  cannot 
deny  it.  (17)  But  that  it  spread  no  further  among  the  people,  let  us  straiily  threaten 
them,  that  they  speak  henceforth  to  no  man  in  this  name.  (18)  And  they  called 
them,  and  commanded  them  not  to  speak  at  all  nor  teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus. — 
Acts  iv,  1-18. 

The  healing  of  the  lame  man  was,  indeed,  a  notable  miracle,  but 
it  sinks  into  insignificance  beside  the  splendid  sermon  which  it 
afforded  Peter  an  occasion  for  preaching  to  the  people  ;  nor  any  less 
splendid  was  Peter's  conduct  at  his  subsequent  arrest  and  noble  de- 
fense before  the  High  Priest  and  rulers.  In  his  oration  before  the 
people,  recorded  in  the  last  chapter,  we  see  every  element  of  a  great 
sermon.     Apologetic  in  its  demonstration  of  the  fact  of  the  true 

238 


THE   ARREST   OF   THE   APOSTLES.  239 

Deity  of  our  Lord ;  sharp  as  a  two-edged  sword  in  the  consciences  of 
the  hearers  upon  whom  it  charged  the  guilt  of  the  murder  of  Christ ; 
and  at  the  same  time  burdened  with  a  great  desire  to  bring  these 
sinners  to  repentance,  thus  unfolding  toward  its  end  the  great  grace 
of  God  in  the  sending  of  Jesus  into  the  world.  "  Unto  you  first,  God 
having  raised  up  his  Son  Jesus,  sent  him  to  bless  you,  in  turning 
away  every  one  of  you  from  his  iniquities."  In  the  meantime,  while 
Peter  was  still  preaching  and  pleading  with  the  people,  the  report  of 
the  miracle  of  healing  upon  the  lame  man,  and  of  the  concourse  of 
people  gathered  to  listen  to  the  preaching  of  Peter  concerning  Jesus 
Christ  of  Nazareth,  had  reached  the  ears  of  the  priests,  the  captain 
of  the  temple  and  the  leaders  of  the  Sadducees,  who  hastily  joined 
together  and  then  came  in  a  body  upon  the  apostles  and  people. 
We  are  told  that  they  were  "  grieved  that  they  taught  the  people, 
and  preached  through  Jesus  the  resurrection  from  the  dead. "  Nothing 
is  said  of  their  being  gratified  that  the  poor  man  who  had  been  a 
cripple  all  his  life  had  been  healed.  The  narrowness  of  religious 
intolerance  often  reaches  such  a  pitch  even  now.  Some  bigoted 
sectarians  would  rather  not  have  sinners  saved  at  all  than  to  have 
them  saved  by  means  other  than  their  own,  or  at  any  place  where 
the  doctrine  preached  concerning  Jesus  is  not  stated  according  to 
their  formulae.  Without  argument  or  discussion,  without  even  in- 
quiry into  any  of  the  facts  of  the  case  beyond  that  they  were  preach- 
ing in  the  name  of  Jesus  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  they  at 
once  arrested  the  apostles  and  cast  them  into  the  temple  guard-house 
for  the  night.  That  is  a  favorite  way  with  the  world  for  answering 
the  faith  of  Christians.  Here  we  have  the  dawn  of  that  era  of  per- 
secution which  raged  over  the  Church  for  three  centuries,  which  has 
broken  out  again  and  again  with  all  the  fury  of  the  nether  world, 
and  which  must  once  more  rage  against  God's  people  when  the  reign 
of  Antichrist  shall  begin. 

I.— THE   ARREST   OF   THE   APOSTLES. 

Jesus  had  forewarned  his  disciples  that  they  would  have  to  en- 
counter the  enmity  of  the  world,  and  be  dragged  before  magistrates, 
kings,  and  governors.  This  experience  was  coming  upon  them 
quickly.  It  seemed  a  strange  sequel  to  the  ecstasies  of  Pentecost 
and  the  triumphs  of  the  weeks  following.  For  a  while  God  put  his 
fear  upon  all  the  people  and  gave  his  servants  favor,  in  order  that 
they  might  get  established  and  accustomed  to  their  new  conditions. 
He  began  the  battle  with  the  world  by  giving  his  soldiers  victory  at 


240    PETER  AND  JOHN  BEFORE  THE  COUNCIL. 

the  outset,  that  they  might  be  encouraged  rather  than  receive  the 
dismay  of  a  first  defeat.  They  were  now  better  able  to  endure  this 
first  season  of  hardness,  as  good  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ. 

1.— The  combination  against  them. — The  company  that  came 
down  to  arrest  the  apostles  were  the  representatives  of  the  different 
classes  of  men  in  power  in  the  counsels  of  the  nation.  The  priests 
had  ever  been  the  fanatical  foes  of  Jesus,  and  had  ever  stirred  up  all 
the  hatred  and  opposition  to  him.  The  captain  of  the  temple  guard, 
who  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  son  or  nephew  of  the  High  Priest, 
was  fearful  lest  his  offices  and  emoluments  might  pass  out  of  his 
hands  if  the  sect  of  Jesus  should  prevail.  Lastly,  we  have  the  Sad- 
ducees,  including  Annas,  the  present  High  Priest,  and  Caiaphas, 
John,  and  Alexander,  three  of  his  predecessors.  This  was  a  formi- 
dable array  of  earthly  power  and  authority.  How  long  would  these 
fishermen  apostles  be  able  to  contend  against  such  a  force  ? 

2. — The  motive  of  the  enemy. — They  could  not  have  objected 
to  the  mere  fact  of  the  healing  of  the  lame  man.  That  was  not  their 
reason.  It  is  said  that  they  were  "  sore  troubled  (grieved)  that  they 
preached  through  Jesus  the  resurrection  from  the  dead."  No  won- 
der. They  had  a  little  while  ago  crucified  Jesus,  declaring  him  to 
be  a  blasphemer  and  an  impostor.  Now  here  were  his  disciples 
charging  home  his  murder  upon  them  and  declaring  that  he  was 
raised  from  the  dead ;  that  through  him  there  was  life  and  immortal- 
ity by  resurrection  from  the  dead  for  all  men.  The  Sadducees  were 
especially  troubled  and  grieved  at  this  point  of  doctrine ;  for  they 
held  and  taught  that  there  was  no  future  life.  If  the  doctrine  of 
these  Nazarenes  prevailed,  they  would  not  only  be  overthrown  as  a 
religious  party,  but  would  also  lose  their  hold  upon  office.  This, 
too,  was  a  practical  po*ut,  both  to  the  High  Priests  and  to  the  cap- 
tain of  the  temple  guard ;  besides,  if  the  testimony  of  the  apostles 
prevailed  and  the  people  came  to  believe,  as  they  were  now  rapidly 
doing,  that  Jesus  was  indeed  alive  from  the  dead,  then  the  nation 
would  hold  them  responsible  for  the  murder  of  their  Messiah.  Thus 
we  may  see  how  self-interest,  conscience,  and  religious  bigotry  were 
all  working  together  against  the  apostles  of  the  Lord. 

3. — The  argument  of  force. — Their  only  answer  to  the  apostles 
was  to  cast  them  into  the  guard-house.  They  had  been  in  a  greater 
hurry  a  few  weeks  ago,  when  they  arrested  Jesus  at  night,  and  kept 
him  and  themselves  up  all  through  the  hours  of  darkness  in  their 
eagerness  to  condemn  him.  Perhaps  they  thought  it  would  be  bet- 
ter to  use  a  little  more  deliberation  in  this  case.  Perhaps  they  were 
afraid  to  proceed  to  extremities;  perhaps   their  consciences  were 


THE   INQUISITION.  241 

troubling  them  so  that  they  could  not  think  promptly  and  wisely  as 
to  the  proper  course  to  pursue ;  the  result  was  that  they  resorted  to 
the  old  argument  of  force  and  shut  up  the  preachers.  John  the  Ba^_ 
tist  had  sanctified  a  prison  before  them ;  Jeremiah  had  done  so  be- 
fore John  the  Baptist,  and  Joseph  before  Jeremiah ;  and  now  these 
two  apostles  were  to  follow  in  their  steps ;  for  there  was  coming  a 
long  line  of  successors  to  this  inheritance.  But  it  mattered  little  to 
men  who  believed  in  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  that  they  were 
compelled  to  spend  a  night  in  a  prison. 

4. — God's  "  howbeit." — That  is  a  most  interesting  little  piece  of 
information  wedged  in  at  the  fourth  verse.  "Howbeit,  many  of 
them  which  heard  the  word  believed ;  and  the  number  of  the  men 
were  about  five  thousand."  Perhaps  these  were  not  all  converted 
under  the  direct  sound  of  Peter's  voice  ;  but  when  the  Spirit  of  God 
is  poured  out  abundantly,  the  word  of  God  passes  quickly  from 
mouth  to  ear,  and  from  hearing  ear  to  believing  heart.  Then  the 
word  of  God  runs  its  course  and  is  glorified.  We  are  reminded  here 
again  of  the  second  psalm.  These  rulers  and  leaders  of  a  corrupt 
religion  and  a  tyrannical  world-power  were  again  taking  counsel  to- 
gether against  God's  servants ;  but  God  was  laughing  from  the  heav- 
ens. He  had  implanted  his  word  in  the  hearts  of  five  thousand  more 
men,  besides  the  three  thousand  of  Peter's  first  sermon  and  the  others 
who  in  the  meantime  had  believed.  Suppose  they  did  shut  up  the 
apostles  ;  suppose  they  did  Mil  them.  It  was  too  late  now.  They 
could  not  stop  the  Gospel  nor  hinder  the  testimony.  It  is  a  large 
contract  for  the  world  to  undertake  to  stop  the  mouths  of  millions 
of  believers.  How  will  they  dam  up  the  streams  that  are  now  flow- 
ing out  of  the  hearts  and  lives  of  Christ's  followers  throughout 
the  earth?  Heaven  and  earth  may  pass  away,  but  this  word  of 
God  and  the  testimony  of  Jesus  will  never  pass  away  till  the  last 
of  the  people  of  God  are  called  out  of  the  world  of  sin  into  the 
kingdom  of  their  Lord. 

IL— THE   INQUISITION. 

The  next  day  "  the  rulers,  and  elders,  and  scribes,  and  Annas  the 
High  Priest,  and  Caiaphas,  and  John  and  Alexander,  and  as  many 
as  were  of  the  kindred  of  the  High  Priest,  were  gathered  together." 
It  was  a  fine  family  party.  They  held  all  the  offices,  all  the  emolu- 
ments, and  all  the  influence,  political  and  social.  They  had  crucified 
Jesus,  and  now  they  had  undertaken  a  still  greater  labor,  and  were 
about  to  prevent  the  risen  Christ  from  exercising  his  power  from 


242  PETER   AND   JOHN   BEFORE   THE   COUNCIL. 

heaven.  When  they  had  formed  themselves  into  a  court,  they  sent 
for  the  two  apostles  and  set  them  in  the  midst. 

1. — The  trial  by  question. — "  By  what  power  or  by  what  name 
have  ye  done  this  ?  "  They  did  not  pretend  to  deny  that  the  apostles 
had  somehow  effected  the  cure  of  the  lame  man.  That  fact  should 
have  been  a  sufficient  answer  in  itself.  But  they  were  anxious  to 
entangle  these  men  with  difficult  and  abstruse  questions.  They 
seemed  to  imply  and  insinuate  that  men  such  as  they  could  not  have 
done  such  a  miracle  by  divine  power ;  seeking  by  this  means  to 
throw  upon  them  the  odium  of  practicing  magic,  or  working  directly 
under  the  influence  of  Satan  himself.  They  had  not  scrupled  to  ac- 
cuse the  Master  of  thus  working ;  now  they  would  stand  by  their  po- 
sition and  carry  the  charge  forward  against  his  disciples.  (Luke  xi, 
15 ;  Acts  xiii,  6 ;  xix,  19. )  So  it  is  to-day.  Men  cannot  deny  the 
notable  fact  that  conversion  and  regeneration  follow  on  the  preach- 
ing of  the  Gospel ;  but  they  seek  to  account  for  these  miracles  of 
grace  in  every  way  but  the  true  way.  It  is  mere  religious  reforma- 
tion ;  it  is  excitement ;  it  is  magnetism ;  it  is  delusion ;  it  is  fanati- 
cism. Then  the  unbelievers  can  get  the  disciples  off  on  to  some 
occult  speculation  as  to  how  things  are  done,  or  the  possibility  of 
the  operation  of  many  powers  ;  and  they  have  gained  a  large  point ; 
for  that  is  a  region  of  speculation,  and  not  of  fact.  Christianity  is 
not  a  system  or  a  speculation.  It  is  a  divine  power  of  life  exer- 
cised and  manifested  in  connection  with  the  sublime  fact  of  the  in- 
carnation and  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead.  I  suppose 
the  world  will  continue  to  ask  the  question  "  how  "  until  the  end  of 
time,  with  ears  deaf  to  the  world-wide  sound  of  God's  wonders  of 
grace,  by  which  the  Lord  of  nature  ever  manifests  himself. 

2. — Peter's  answer. — What  a  changed  man  is  here !  A  few 
weeks  ago  he  cowered  before  the  voice  of  a  servant-maid  and  trem- 
bled at  the  very  look  of  a  porter.  How  will  he  behave  before  this 
august  assemblage  of  rulers,  ciders,  scribes,  and  the  High  Priest? 
Will  he  tremble  now?  Never!  Peter  is  a  different  man;  and  this 
is  the  difference.  Then  he  was  a  man  boasting  in  his  own  strength ; 
now  he  is  a  man  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  Look  at  him  and  listen 
to  him.  "Ye  rulers  of  the  people  and  elders  of  Israel."  He  is  as 
much  at  home  with  them  as  ho  was  with  the  common  people  yester- 
day. He  is  courteous  as  he  is  courageous  and  dignified.  "  If  we  this 
day  be  examined  of  the  good  deed  done  to  the  impotent  man,  by 
what  means  he  is  made  whole."  Peter  is  not  only  bold  and  courte- 
ous, but  he  is  adroit.  He  insists  on  the  fact  that  the  deed  for  which 
they  are  called  in  question  was  a  good  one.     The  concrete  case  of 


THE   INQUISITION.  243 

benign  power  was  before  them.  Could  they  fairly  conclude  that  a 
good  deed  was  done  by  an  evil  power  ?  He  moves  up  to  his  defense 
with  wisdom  from  above.  "  Be  it  known  unto  you  all  and  to  all  the 
people  of  Israel."  Peter  was  not  alone  occupied  with  defense,  but 
also  with  the  business  of  propagation.  He  had  a  message  for  them 
all,  and  not  for  them  only,  but  for  all  the  people  of  Israel.  His 
words  ring  out  like  the  notes  of  a  herald's  trumpet.  These  prison- 
ers had  become  herald  of  the  King  whom  these  rulers  rejected. 
"  That  by  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth,  whom  ye  crucified, 
whom  God  raised  from  the  dead,  even  by  him  doth  this  man  stand 
here  before  you  whole."  What  a  sentence  !  How  it  leapt  out  of  his 
mouth ;  how  it  must  have  smitten  the  hearers  to  the  very  soul ! 
Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth — Peter  gives  his  full  title — announcing 
both  his  divine  and  his  human  nature.  He  identifies  him  with  the 
Jesus  whom  they  crucified ;  there  must  be  no  mistake ;  they  have 
asked  for  the  name  and  the  power ;  here  they  are  ;  they  know  them 
well :  "  Ye  crucified  him ;  but  God  raised  him  from  the  dead ;  ye 
sought  to  rid  yourselves  of  him,  to  stop  his  power ;  but  God  has  ex- 
alted him  beyond  your  reach,  and  now  he  wields  his  power  from 
heaven."  Here  is  true  boldness  of  preaching.  We  can  fancy  these 
rulers  listening  spell-bound  and  astonished  at  this  fisherman's 
speech,  as  he  charges  upon  them  the  murder  of  Jesus ;  declares  him 
to  be  the  Son  of  God ;  overthrows  their  cold  anti-resurrection  philos- 
ophy ;  and  exalts  Jesus,  whom  they  degraded  by  a  felon's  death,  to 
the  very  throne  of  power  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  "  This  is  the 
stone  which  was  set  at  naught  of  you  builders,  which  is  become  the 
head  of  the  corner."  He  drives  home  his  argument,  or  rather  his 
proclamation,  by  quotation  from  the  Scriptures  which  they  all  ac- 
knowledged, and  shows  them  how,  in  their  madness,  they  have  at 
once  been  caught  between  the  upper  and  nether  millstone  of  wick- 
edness and  disaster.  But  Peter  is  merciful  as  he  is  bold.  He  has 
gone  far  enough.  He  does  not  abuse  or  denounce  them.  He  vindi- 
cates the  right  of  the  disciples  to  work  and  to  preach  in  the  name  of 
Jesus ;  he  sets  the  rulers'  sins  before  them  plainly ;  he  shows  them 
the  utter  helplessness  of  their  position,  and  the  impotence  of  their 
power.  He  does  not  wait  for  their  further  question  or  any  answer 
to  his  charges  against  them,  or  his  declaration  of  facts  concerning 
Jesus  Christ,  but  moves  on  rapidly  to  his  next  thought. 

3. — Peter  preaches  the  Gospel. — It  must  have  been  a  surprise 
to  them  that  the  apostle  did  not  proceed  to  denounce  against  them 
the  judgment  of  God  for  their  sins.  But  Peter  was  filled  with  the 
love  of  Christ ;  he  yearned  over  these  his  countrymen  and  rulers 


244    PETER  AND  JOHN  BEFORE  THE  COUNCIL. 

with  a  longing  which  only  those  know  who  have  caught  the  Master's 
spirit.  Instead,  therefore,  of  driving  them  into  a  position  of  despair, 
he  speaks  to  them  of  Jesus  as  a  Saviour.  "  Neither  is  there  salva- 
tion in  any  other ;  for  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given 
among  men  whereby  we  must  "be  saved."  Paul  afterward  declared 
the  same  truth  to  Timothy :  "  There  is  one  God,  and  one  mediator 
between  God  and  man,  the  man  Christ  Jesus."  Though  they  were 
guilty  of  Christ's  murder,  yet  he  would  have  them  to  know  that  God 
did  not  lay  it  up  against  them,  but  longed  that  they  should  repent 
of  their  sin  and  accept  his  mercy.  Peter  remembered  the  last  prayer 
of  the  Lord  on  the  cross  for  his  murderers.  Yet  he  would  have 
them,  and  all  men,  know  that  there  was  no  other  name  or  way 
whereby  they  must  be  saved.  God  stands  ready  to  forgive  all  and 
every  sin  of  all  men ;  but  forgiveness  is  only  in  Christ  (Acts  xiii,  39 ; 
Eph.  i,  7),  and  therefore  is  given  a  solemn  warning  against  rejecting 
him  by  any  further  acts  of  unbelief.  It  is  a  sweet  but  solemn  mes- 
sage.    Let  all  who  hear  it  lay  it  to  heart. 

III.— THE  PERPLEXITY  OF  THE  RULERS. 

The  speech  of  Peter  confounded  these  rulers.  They  were  at 
their  wits'  end.  They  had  not  counted  on  such  a  defense.  Jesus 
had  been  silent  before  them,  opening  not  his  mouth.  This  very  man 
had  thrice  denied  his  Master,  but  now  he  and  his  companion  are  as 
bold  as  lions.  The  tables  were  turned  upon  the  assembled  council. 
Vexation  and  anger  had  caused  the  apostles'  arrest ;  now  perplexity 
and  amazement  take  their  place.     Their  perplexity  was  threefold. 

1. — Concerning  the  Apostles. — They  could  not  understand  the 
"  boldness  of  Peter  and  John,"  their  fluency  of  speech  and  their  ability 
in  presenting  their  case,  especially  as  they  were  "  unlearned  and  igno- 
rant men,"  not  of  the  class  of  educated  and  cultured  men  of  the  nation. 
Jesus  before  them  had  caused  a  like  perplexity  to  his  accusers.  In  ad- 
dition to  this  difficulty,  they  recognized  them  as  the  two  men  who  had 
followed  Jesus  to  the  council-house,  when  he  had  been  arrested  and 
brought  before  them.  This  tended  to  agitate  them,  and  bring  home  to 
them  their  crime  in  the  matter  of  condemning  Christ.  They  could  not 
deny  the  charge  they  had  heard  made  against  themselves  ;  they  were 
simply,  for  the  time  being,  speechless  with  amazement.  How  often 
our  sins  have  been  suddenly  brought  before  us,  and  witnesses  have 
arisen  to  confront  us  whom  we  have  forgotten  or  thought  light  of. 

2. — Concerning  the  man  who  had  been  healed. — "  And  behold- 
ing the  man  which  was  healed  standing  with  them,  they  could  say 


THE   PERPLEXITY   OF   THE   RULERS.  245 

nothing  against  it."  Of  course  they  could  not.  The  best  argument 
for  Christianity  is  to  be  found  in  its  miracles  of  grace.  What  can 
the  worst  enemies  of  Christ  say  against  the  drunkards  that  have 
been  reclaimed,  the  liars  that  have  been  made  truthful,  the  unclean 
who  have  been  made  chaste,  the  hard  and  grasping  who  have  been 
made  tender  and  benevolent ;  the  depraved  who  have  been  lifted  up 
and  refined ;  the  scoffing  and  profane  who  have  been  turned  into 
praying  men ;  the  unregenerate  who  have  shown  every  sign  of  be- 
coming new  creatures ;  the  hateful  and  envious  of  becoming  loving 
and  contented.  Let  us  keep  our  converts  to  the  front  of  our  work, 
let  the  converts  stand  by  their  spiritual  fathers  ;  and  the  world  has 
an  array  of  witnesses  against  whom  they  can  say  nothing. 

3. — Concerning  the  impression  of  the  miracle  upon  the  people. 
— Adjourning  to  a  private  room,  they  took  counsel  together,  and  be- 
ing perplexed,  they  said  :  "  What  shall  we  do  to  these  men  ? "  They 
were  in  pillory  now.  It  was  easier  to  arrest  the  apostles  than  to  dis- 
pose of  them.  They  could  not  deny  that  a  notable  miracle  had  been 
wrought,  and  that  all  Jerusalem  knew  and  acknowledged  it.  They 
had  denied  the  resurrection ;  but  that  denial  had  not  prevented  the 
power  of  Jesus  from  being  manifested  among  the  people.  It  would 
be  useless  to  keep  on  denying  undeniable  facts. 

4. — Their  decision. — They  must  do  something ;  and  they  felt  that 
it  must  be  done  at  once ;  yet  they  had  not  the  boldness  to  adopt  ex- 
treme measures.  Perhaps  the  dread  of  their  late  action  concerning 
Jesus  was  still  upon  them.  Yet  they  were  determined  that  the  faith 
of  the  Xazarene  must  be  suppressed.  So  they  determined  to  threaten 
the  apostles  and  command  them  to  speak  no  more  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  to  the  people.  They  were  attempting  an  impossibility  and 
adopting  inadequate  measures.  First  they  could  not  stay  the  spread 
of  faith  among  the  people.  The  risen  Christ  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
sent  down  from  heaven  to  mark  the  testimony  of  apostles  and  dis- 
ciples were  powers  with  which  the  priests  and  Sadducees  could  not 
cope.  Secondly,  they  were  reckoning  without  their  host  when  they 
supposed  that  threatenings  would  stop  the  mouths  of  men  who  were 
filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  took  the  world  nearly  or  quite  fifteen 
hundred  years  to  understand  that  spiritual  life  and  the  testimony  of 
men  who  have  seen  and  heard  things  which  "  eye  hath  not  seen  nor 
ear  heard,"  cannot  be  suppressed.  They  did  not  themselves  know 
the  power  of  God  over  the  conscience  for  the  reason  that  they  had 
never  submitted  their  consciences  to  God.  They  were  not  prepared 
for  the  answer  of  Peter  to  their  threatenings,  which  will  be  discussed 
in  our  next  study,  namely,  that  "it  is  better  to  obev  God  than  man." 


August  7,  1892. 


XXXII. 
THE  APOSTLES'  CONFIDENCE  IN  GOD.— Acts  iv,  19-31. 

(19)  But  Peter  and  John  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Whether  it  be  right  in 
the  eight  of  God  to  hearken  unto  you  more  than  unto  God,  judge  ye.  (20)  For  we 
cannot  but  speak  the  things  which  we  have  seen  and  beard.  (21)  So  when  they  had 
further  threatened  them,  they  let  them  go,  finding  nothing  how  they  might  punish 
them,  because  of  the  people  :  for  all  men  glorified  God  for  that  which  was  done. 
(22)  For  the  man  was  about  forty  years  old,  on  whom  this  miracle  of  healing  was 
shewed.  (23)  And  being  let  go,  they  went  to  their  own  company,  and  reported  all 
that  the  chief  priests  and  elders  had  said  unto  them.  (24)  And  when  they  heard 
that,  they  lifted  up  their  voice  to  God  with  one  accord,  and  said,  Lord,  thou  art 
God,  which  hast  made  heaven,  and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is  ;  (25) 
Who  by  the  mouth  of  thy  servant  David  hath  said,  Why  did  the  heathen  rage,  and 
the  people  imagine  vain  things  ?  (20)  The  kings  of  the  earth  stood  up,  and  the 
rulers  were  gathered  together  against  the  Lord,  and  against  his  Christ.  (27)  For  of 
a  truth  against  thy  holy  child  Jesus,  whom  thou  hast  anointed,  both  Herod,  and 
Pontius  Pilate,  with  the  Gentiles,  and  the  people  of  Israel,  were  gathered  together, 

(28)  For  to  do  whatsoever  thy  hand  and  thy  counsel  determined  before  to  be  clone. 

(29)  And  now,  Lord,  behold  their  threatenings  :  and  grant  unto  thy  servants,  that 
with  all  boldness  they  may  speak  thy  word,  (SC)  By  stretching  forth  thine  hand  to 
heal ;  and  that  signs  and  wonders  may  be  done  by  the  name  of  thy  holy  child  Jesus. 
(31)  And  when  they  had  prayed,  the  place  was  shaken  where  they  were  assembled 
together  ;  and  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  they  spake  the  word  of 
God  with  boldness. — Acts  iv,  19-31. 

The  perplexed  rulers  who  had  arrested  the  apostles,  ostensibly  for 
disturbing  the  people  in  connection  with  the  miracle  of  healing  on 
the  lame  man,  but  really  in  order  to  prevent  them  from  preaching  in 
the  name  of  Jesus,  were  sorely  troubled  by  the  results  of  their  ex- 
amination on  the  next  day.  They  had  fondly  hoped  that  the  name 
of  Jesus  had  been  effectually  blotted  out  by  his  crucifixion ;  that  no 
voice  would  come  out  of  his  grave  to  haunt  their  souls  with  fear ; 
but  they  now  find  that  name  more  potent  than  ever,  while  Jesus 
himself  is  far  beyond  the  reach  of  their  power.  They  are  perplexed 
because  of  what  they  are  compelled  to  hear  concerning  Jesus  as  the 
Son  of  God  and  his  resurrection.  They  are  dumfounded  at  the  bold- 
ness and  power  of  these  rude  fishermen,  who  seem  to  have  such  a 
grasp  on  scriptural  and  prophetic  truth.  They  are  confounded  by 
the  fact  that  the  miracle  on  the  man  is  undoubted  and  beyond  all 

24G 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S   HIGHER  LAW.  '247 

possibility  of  denial.  They  are  thunder-struck  seeing  that  five  thou- 
sand more  men  have  gone  over  to  the  faith  of  Christ ;  yet  withal 
their  hearts  are  not  changed.  They  would  have  proceeded  to  severe 
measures  with  the  apostles ;  but  they  feared  the  people  and  durst 
not  what  they  would.  They  proceeded  to  threaten  and  to  forbid 
them  to  preach  any  more  in  the  Name  ;  yet  still  were  not  out  of  their 
dilemma.  These  men,  who  before  had  cowered  at  the  very  sugges- 
tion of  threatenings,  were  now  as  fearless  as  lions,  and  accepted 
their  discharge  with  no  meekness  and  cringing  thankfulness.  They 
entered  a  protest  against  the  prohibition,  declaring  their  intention 
to  obey  God  in  this  matter,  rather  than  their  human  rulers.  Never 
had  a  court  such  a  pair  of  recalcitrant  prisoners  on  their  hands.  To 
discharge  them  without  prohibition  would  be  to  concede  the  truth 
and  righteousness  of  their  cause  ;  to  punish  them  would  be  to  bring 
themselves  into  conflict  with  the  people.  The  rulers  of  this  world 
have  ever  found,  and  ever  will  find,  trouble  in  dealing  with  the  Lord 
and  his  Anointed. 

I.— THE    CHRISTIAN'S   HIGHER   LAW. 

There  is  a  general  law  laid  down  by  God  himself  for  us,  to  the 
effect  that  we  must  obey  the  powers  that  be  (Rom.  xiii,  1),  but  that 
law  does  not  require  that  the  servant  of  God  should  obey  the  powers 
appointed  of  God  when  that  power  transgresses  the  law  of  God,  and 
requires  us  to  do  the  thing  which  God  has  forbidden,  or  should  neg- 
lect or  cease  from  doing  that  which  God  has  commanded.  In  like 
manner,  children  must  obey  their  parents,  "in  the  Lord."  (Eph.  vi, 
1) ;  but  if  a  parent  should  command  a  child  to  do  the  evil,  he  is  in 
nowise  bound  by  this  law. 

1. — Is  it  right  ? — Peter  and  John  boldly  raise  this  question: 
"Whether  it  be  right  in  the  sight  of  God  to  hearken  unto  you  more 
than  unto  God."  They  had  been  commanded  by  Jesus  to  preach  the 
Gospel,  and  to  begin  their  work  at  Jerusalem  (Luke  xxiv,  47) ;  they 
were  now  forbidden  by  these  rulers.  WTiat  must  they  do?  For 
themselves  they  had  already  decided  what  they  both  must  and  would 
do.  But,  first  of  all,  they  raise  the  question  of  RIGHT.  This  is  a 
mighty  word,  which,  when  it  gets  possession  of  a  man's  conscience, 
leaves  him  no  alternative.  He  must  obey  God  though  the  heavens 
fall.  Neither  his  comfort,  his  convenience,  nor  his  life  stand  in  the 
way.  Neither  rulers  nor  kings  have  any  power  over  a  man's  actions 
when  he  has  surrendered  his  conscience  to  the  RIGHT.  The  He- 
brew children  would  not  worship  the  image  which  the  king  set  up, 


248  THE   APOSTLES'   CONFIDENCE   IN   GOD. 

though  the  alternative  was  the  fiery  furnace,  because  such  an  action 
■would  be  violation  of  the  RIGHT  ;  Daniel  would  not  cease  praying 
to  his  God,  as  was  his  wont,  though  the  lion's  den  was  waiting  to  re- 
ceive him,  because  it  would  not  have  been  RIGHT  to  thus  deny  his 
God.  It  is  this  mighty  word,  energized  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  which 
has  sustained  all  the  martyrs  of  the  Lord  in  all  ages  ;  it  will  be  the 
same  again  if  ever  another  time  of  persecution  shall  befall  the 
Church. 

2. — Judge  ye. — They  appeal  to  their  judges,  not  for  mercy,  not 
for  remission  of  penalties  or  annulment  of  their  prohibition,  but  that 
themselves  should  decide  a  point  of  conscience.  What  answer  could 
they  give  ?  They  were  the  pretended  custodians  of  God's  law.  They 
must,  if  they  answer  truly,  decide  that  the  first  obedience  was  duo 
to  God ;  but  they  had  determined  to  prohibit  the  preaching  of  tho 
Gospel.  Peter  and  John  therefore  put  them  in  a  terrible  quandary. 
They  had  now  to  sit  in  judgment  on  themselves.  This  challenge  re- 
veals the  true  spirit  of  tho  martyr  of  Jesus.  There  is  no  railing ;  no 
bluster ;  no  cringing  to  opposing  authorities  ;  but  a  simple  and  dig- 
nified appeal  to  the  right.  It  must  be  that  the  Holy  Spirit  was  ful- 
filling the  promise  of  Jesus  in  giving  them  at  that  same  hour  tho 
right  word  to  say.  So  he  will  sustain  us  with  courage  and  guide  us 
with  wisdom  from  above,  if  we  put  our  trust  in  him. 

3. — Necessity  laid  upon  them. — Nevertheless,  even  after  this, 
the  apostles  had  one  word  more  to  say  :  "We  cannot  but  speak  tho 
things  which  we  have  seen  and  heard."  In  the  first  place,  they 
affirm  the  truth  of  the  Gospel  which  they  were  preaching.  That 
Jesus  was  raised  from  the  dead,  they  knew  as  a  matter  of  fact,  for 
they  had  seen  him,  and  that  repeatedly.  They  could  not  refrain 
from  speaking  the  things  which  they  had  heard  of  and  from  him, 
since  by  his  resurrection  he  was  demonstrated  to  be  the  Son  of  God, 
and  so  the  sovereign  of  the  conscience.  Both  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth  and  the  command  of  God  confirmed  their  course.  Besides  all 
this,  the  Gospel,  which  they  were  preaching  in  the  name  of  the  risen 
Christ,  like  the  word  of  God  in  the  heart  of  Jeremiah,  was  like  "a 
fire  shut  up  in  their  bones,"  and  they  could  not  refrain  (Jer.  xx,  9) ; 
like  Paul  at  a  later  period,  " necessity  was  laid  upon"  them  so  that 
they  must  preach  the  Gospel ;  when  the  Gospel  comes  in  power,  then 
it  possesses  men.  Nothing  can  stop  the  progress  of  the  good  news 
when  it  takes  fire  in  men's  hearts,  when  the  Holy  Spirit  is  within 
groaning  for  utterance.  Neither  kings,  rulers,  persecutions,  stripes, 
imprisonment,  fire,  nor  sword,  are  potent  against  such  a  message. 
Have  we  seen  and  heard?    Not,  indeed,  with  our  mortal  eyes  and 


THE   ETERNAL   GOD   IS   OUR   REFUGE.  249 

ears,  yet  surely  we  have  seen  the  risen  Lord  by  faith,  and,  in  like 
manner,  have  heard  his  word  in  our  own  hearts.  How,  then,  can 
we  be  silent?  With  the  living  Christian  it  is  ever  thus.  "We  can- 
not but  speak  the  things  which  we  have  seen  and  heard."  This 
principle  of  inward  compulsion  is  the  secret  energy  of  the  whole 
Christian  life.  St.  Jerome  said  :  ' '  Though  my  mother  should  hang 
about  my  neck,  and  my  father  should  lie  across  my  pathway  to  keep 
me  from  Christ,  if  my  Lord  should  call  me,  I  would  shake  off  my 
mother  and  walk  over  my  father's  body  and  go  to  him.''  Paul  says 
of  the  motive  of  his  service  for  men :  "  The  love  of  Christ  constrain- 
eth  me."  When  Luther  stood  before  the  Diet  of  Worms  and  deliv- 
ered his  defense  before  the  Emperor  Charles  V.,  he  closed  his  address 
by  saying:  "Here  I  stand;  I  can  do  none  else,  God  help  me." 

4. — Discharged  from  custody. — Having  thus  defended  them- 
selves, and  at  the  very  outset  of  their  ministry  having  announced  the 
principles  by  which  they  must  be  guided  in  doing  the  Lord's  work, 
the  apostles  submitted  their  case.  The  rulers  being  afraid  of  the 
people  who  were  glorifying  God,  and,  not  being  able  to  find  a  pre- 
text upon  which  they  might  punish  the  two  disciples,  the  lame  man 
also  being  a  standing  witness  to  the  good  deed  done,  they  had  to 
satisfy  themselves  by  repeating  their  prohibition  with  a  further 
threat.  They  had  not  relaxed  their  determination  to  use  force 
against  the  apostles,  although  they  had  for  the  moment  postponed 
its  execution  through  fear.  Their  attitude,  however,  was  sufficient 
to  warn  the  apostles  of  the  coming  storm  of  persecution ;  hence  the 
significance  of  their  prayers  when  they  reached  their  own  company 
after  their  release. 

II.— THE  ETERNAL  GOD  IS  OUR  REFUGE. 

"And  being  let  go,  they  went  to  their  own  company  and  reported 
all  that  the  chief  priests  and  elders  had  said  unto  them."  This  is  a 
very  suggestive  sentence.  They  had  made  their  first  sally  out  of  the 
Christian  camp  ;  and  though  in  one  sense  repulsed,  they  had  yet  won 
a  most  signal  victory.  How  naturally  men  seek  their  own  company. 
For  the  space  of  a  day  and  night  they  had  been  forcibly  detained, 
but  as  soon  as  outside  pressure  was  removed  they  flew  back  to  their 
own  place.  Every  man  has  his  company  in  this  world,  and  in  the 
next ;  every  man  makes  his  own  company ;  and  finally  every  man 
goes  to  his  own  company.  When  Judas  died,  he  went  to  his  own 
place ;  he  had  made  it  for  himself.  When  the  rich  man  died,  he 
went  to  his  own  place,  as  Lazarus  to  his.     How  often  we  find  young 


250  THE  APOSTLES'   CONFIDENCE  IN   GOD. 

men,  at  home,  correct  in  their  lives,  and  worshipful  in  their  habits, 
who,  being  let  go  from  home  and  bereft  of  Christian  influences,  go 
to  an  entirely  different  company ;  which  is,  after  all,  their  own. 
Water  always  seeks  its  level ;  so  men,  when  free  to  choose  their  com- 
pany, always  choose  their  own.  Which  is  our  company?  The  peo- 
ple of  God  or  the  people  of  this  world  ?  Which  is  our  place  ?  The 
assembly  of  the  saints,  the  place  of  prayer,  or  the  place  of  worldly 
pleasure,  where  God  is  not  in  all  the  people's  thoughts  ?  The  apos- 
tles naturally  rehearsed  all  the  things  that  had  befallen  them. 
There  were  willing  ears  to  hear,  and  sympathetic  hearts  to  enter 
into  their  experiences.  Such  a  gathering  was  after  the  Lord's  own 
heart.  "Then  they  that  feared  the  Lord,  spake  often  one  to  an- 
other, and  the  Lord  hearkened  and  heard.  (Mai.  iii,  16.)  Such  a 
meeting,  too,  was  suited  to  their  wants,  in  order  to  unitedly  lay  the 
whole  matter  before  the  Lord  for  wisdom,  guidance,  and  grace  to 
help  in  this  coming  time  of  need. 

1. — A  wonderful  prayer. — Their  conference  did  not  consist  only 
in  talking  one  to  another,  and  taking  mutual  counsel.  These  Chris- 
tians flocked  together,  not  to  fight,  but  to  pray.  It  is  as  natural  for 
a  Christian  to  pray,  when  in  trouble  or  perplexity,  as  it  is  for  him 
to  breathe.  There  was  indeed  a  battle  to  be  fought ;  but  not  with 
carnal  weapons.  These  apostles  and  disciples  had  not  the  remotest 
idea  of  withdrawing  from  the  conflict ;  only  they  determined  to  fight 
alone  with  the  weapons  ordained  of  God.  Eulers  of  the  world-pow- 
ers may  laugh  at  the  weapons  of  prayer  and  the  Word,  but  with 
these,  God's  people  have  thrown  down  the  strongholds  of  many  em- 
pires and  the  heathen  world.  Mary  of  Scotland  was  not  half  so 
afraid  of  the  armies  of  her  enemies  as  of  the  prayers  of  John  Knox. 
Looking  over  this  prayer,  we  are  amazed  at  its  compass  and  spirit, 
(i)  "They  lifted  up  their  voice  to  God  with  one  accord."  They  did 
not  look  about  them  for  an  earthly  refuge,  or  for  earthly  allies. 
The  Eternal  God  was  their  refuge ;  to  him  it  was  meet  that  they 
should  lift  up  their  voice.  Would  God  we  might  learn  this  lesson 
and  practice  it  as  effectually  as  did  these  first  Christians  !  (ii)  They 
made  their  appeal  to  God  as  the  universal  Creator  and  Sovereign  of 
the  world.  How  safe  were  they  if  they  might  with  right  appeal  to 
the  Creator  and  identify  their  cause  with  him  and  his  power  !  The 
Bible  is  replete  through  every  page  with  the  teaching  that  the  Lord 
of  our  Salvation  is  the  same  as  the  Creator  of  all  worlds.  What  can 
puny  man  do  to  stop  the  Gospel  or  hinder  the  progress  of  the  king- 
dom of  God,  if  that  Gospel  and  that  kingdom  is  identical  with  the 
will  and  purpose  of  him  who  created  the  world?     (iii)  They  appeal 


THE   ETERNAL   GOD   IS   OUR   REFUGE.  251 

to  the  Scriptures  (Psalm  ii),  and  to  the  promise,  rather  indeed  the 
decree  therein  recorded  to  the  effect  that  Jesus  should  rise  from  the 
dead  and  triumph  over  all  his  foes.  Then  they  point  out  that  this 
exact  combination  of  world-powers  had  taken  place  in  the  condem- 
nation of  Jesus,  and  thus  claim  their  warrant  for  a  plea  that  the 
power  of  God  should  be  put  forth  to  make  good  the  whole  promise. 
Jesus  had  been  raised  from  the  dead,  and  now  his  cause  must  be  de- 
livered out  of  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  with  view  to  his  firm  estab- 
lishment on  God's  Holy  Hill.  Thus  far  they  plead  with  their  God 
and  Father  above  ;  the  combination  had  only  resulted  in  accomplish- 
ing the  determinate  counsel  of  God.  When  we  have  learned  such  a 
use  and  application  of  Scripture  in  our  supplication,  we  have  learned 
the  secret  of  prevailing  prayer.  God's  word  cannot  be  broken.  All 
must  be  fulfilled,  (iv)  They  commit  their  case  to  him.  "And  now, 
Lord,  behold  their  threatening."  They  do  not  pray  God  to  take 
vengeance  upon  their  foes ;  they  simply  ask  him  to  look  at  them. 
No  doubt  the  spirit  of  Christ  was  in  their  hearts,  and  they  were  long- 
ing to  see  their  enemies  converted.  At  any  rate,  they  were  content 
to  commit  them  into  God's  hands,  whose  will  is  that  all  men  should 
be  saved,  (v)  They  were  intent  on  their  work  and  longing  to  see  it 
prosper,  and  so  they  prayed  that  "with  all  boldness"  they  might 
speak  his  word.  They  did  not  pray  for  themselves  except  as  the 
servants  of  God,  and  were  anxious  only  for  help  that  they  might  be 
faithful  in  proclaiming  Jesus  Christ  to  men  as  the  only  Saviour. 
They  had  need  of  courage,  and  therefore  they  prayed  that  they 
might  not  shrink  through  fear  or  fail  through  any  weakness  of  their 
own.  (vi)  Together  with  this  prayer  for  boldness  they  ask  that  the 
word  may  be  confirmed  by  miracles  wrought  in  the  name  of  Jesus. 
In  the  beginning  of  every  new  dispensation  God  has  been  pleased  to 
confirm  his  messages  with  signs  and  wonders.  Peter  and  the  rest 
now  prayed  that,  as  they  preached,  God  would  stretch  forth  his  hand 
to  heal,  to  the  end  that  the  people  might  know  that  the  Gospel  was 
not  in  word  only,  but  also  in  power.  So  we,  too,  pray  that  the  Gos- 
pel preached  may  be  confirmed  by  the  regeneration  of  men,  the  real 
healing  of  soul  seen  in  new  lives  and  holy,  which  are  the  strongest 
proofs  of  the  Divine  Spirit  in  the  word,  (vii)  The  all-prevailing 
name  of  Jesus.  It  is  surprising  how  quickly  these  disciples  came  to 
recognize  the  true  mediatorial  character  of  Jesus.  In  the  address 
before  the  rulers,  Peter  boldly  declared  this  to  be  the  only  Name  by 
which  men  could  be  saved ;  and  now,  in  this  remarkable  prayer,  they 
ask  that  signs  and  wonders  may  be  done  in  the  same  all-prevailing 
name.     Do  we  know  its  full  value?  and  so  knowing,  are  we  pleading 


252  THE   APOSTLES'   CONFIDENCE   IN   GOD. 

it  for  all  that  it  is  worth?     "Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my  name, 
it  shall  be  done  unto  you." 

2. — A  second  Pentecost. — Happy  Church  ;  "blessed  disciples. 
"And  when  they  had  prayed,  the  place  was  shaken  where  they  were 
assembled  together ;  and  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost ; 
and  they  spake  the  word  with  boldness."  We  might  have  thought 
that  such  an  outpouring  as  that  of  the  day  of  Pentecost  would  have 
lasted  them  a  full  year,  that  the  filling  then  received  would  have 
served  for  a  life  time  ;  but  here  they  are  rocked  with  fresh  power  as 
by  an  earthquake,  and  filled  again  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  yet 
we  live  on,  content  with  a  revival  of  religion  once  in  a  dozen  years ; 
we  are  happy,  almost  surprised,  if  now  and  then  a  sinner  is  con- 
verted. Has  the  Holy  Ghost  ceased  to  be  the  gift  of  God  and  the 
great  power  in  the  Church?  or  have  we  ceased  to  pray,  being  con- 
tent to  work  on  with  exhausted  power?  We  need  such  another 
fresh  baptism,  such  another  shaking  up  ;  and  it  is  possible  for  us  to 
re-enter  upon  such  an  era  of  power  if  we  will  but  draw  nigh  to  God ; 
pleading  his  promises  and  the  all-prevailing  Name,  that  he,  too,  may 
draw  nigh  to  us.  No  wonder  that  these  disciples  and  apostles  began 
again  to  preach  with  boldness,  giving  witness  to  the  resurrection  of 
Jesus  ;  no  wonder  that  great  grace  was  upon  them  all. 

III.— AN  INVINCIBLE    CHURCH. 

Its  apostles  being  thus  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  bold  to 
preach  and  testify,  we  see  further,  in  the  following  points,  the  char- 
acteristics of  an  invincible  Church. 

1. — It  was  a  perfectly  united  Church. —  "And  the  multitude  of 
them  that  believed  were  of  one  heart  and  one  soul."  No  sectarian 
divisions,  no  doctrinal  differences,  had  come  in  to  rend  that  holy 
Church  asunder ;  these  men  only  knew  Jesus  and  the  resurrection, 
with  salvation  through  his  name ;  no  party  strife  they  knew,  no  con- 
tention as  to  who  should  be  greatest.  Alas,  we  have  fallen  on  evil 
times.  Will  real  unity  ever  come  back  to  God's  distracted  and 
divided  Church  on  earth?  Certainly  some  of  us  will  not  cease  to 
pray  for  such  a  day,  and  to  labor  for  it  by  banishing  from  heart  and 
practice  all  sectarian  bigotry  and  bitterness,  with  all  uncharitable 
condemnation  of  our  brethren,  and  all  pharisaical  conceit  of  our  own 
superiority. 

2. — It  was  a  perfectly  benevolent  Church. — "Neither  said  any 
of  them  that  aught  of  the  things  which  he  possessed  was  his  own ; 
but  they  had  all  things  common."     It  was  a  time  of  wonderful  love. 


AN   INVINCIBLE   CHURCH.  253 

When  these  disciples  gave  themselves  to  the  Lord,  they  gave  also 
all  that  they  had.  A  slave  can  own  no  property.  It  all  belongs  to 
the  Master.  These  Christians  were  the  "slaves"  of  Jesus  Christ. 
All  that  they  were,  and  had,  belonged  to  him.  It  was  a  time, 
too,  of  trial.  Many  of  the  disciples  had  forsaken  father,  mother, 
brother,  sister,  husband,  and  wife.  Need  was  upon  them.  There- 
fore the  great  grace  that  was  upon  them  led  such  as  had  possessions 
to  sell  them  and  lay  the  price  down  at  the  apostles'  feet,  to  be  by 
them  used  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  community.  The  Christian 
communism  of  that  day  was  utterly  unlike  that  which  is  preached 
to-day,  when  each  man  is  clamoring  that  other  people  shall  give  up 
their  possessions  to  him.  These  disciples  were  eager  to  share  what 
they  had  with  their  less  fortunate  brethren.  They  were  not  de- 
manding aught  for  themselves,  but  insisting  upon  sharing  what  was 
theirs  with  the  brethren  of  Christ.  In  this  case  there  was  no  lack. 
Would  there  be  any  lack  among  the  people  of  God  if  we  all  carried 
out  the  spirit  of  this  holy  impulse  that  swept  over  the  early  Church, 
even  though  we  did  not  literally  sell  all  our  property  and  lay  the 
whole  bulk  down  at  the  apostles'  feet?  The  true  Christian  is  a  man 
of  true  love  and  true  liberality ;  he  is  ever  ready  to  communicate  and 
to  devise  liberal  plans  for  the  help  and  relief  of  his  less  prosperous 
brethren.  He  will  not  encourage  idleness,  but  he  will  never  over- 
look want  when  he  can  help  it. 

3. — A  powerful  ministry,  and  abounding  grace. — In  this  state 
of  the  Church  we  see  a  powerful  ministry.  Preaching  with  boldness 
and  witnessing  with  power.  If  only  we  could  be  filled  again  and 
again  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  should  see  this  condition  of  things  re- 
vived in  the  Church.  Great  grace  being  upon  us  all,  we  would  not 
be  giving  our  time  to  sectarian  strifes  and  questions  of  Church  gov- 
ernment ;  we  should  not  be  ever  devising  selfish  accumulations  of 
property  for  our  own  use,  while  the  Lord  and  his  people  had  need 
of  it.  Souls  would  be  converted  by  thousands  again,  and  the  world 
would  soon  be  filled  with  the  glory  of  God ;  the  name  of  Jesus  then 
would  be  exalted  above  every  name. 

*  4. — Fruit  after  its  kind. — Among  the  earliest  of  the  apostolic 
converts  was  a  man  named  Joses,  whom  the  apostles  afterward 
named  Barnabas  (a  son  of  consolation)  because  of  his  sweet  sym- 
pathetic spirit,  and  the  gentleness  and  grace  of  his  speech  and  min- 
istry. He  being  led  to  cast  in  his  lot  with  the  disciples,  became  the 
first  outside  the  original  company  to  follow  their  example,  and  ac- 
cordingly brought  the  price  of  his  possessions,  which  he  had  sold, 
and  laid  it  at  the  apostles'  feet.     This  indeed  was  holy  charity.     The 


254  THE  APOSTLES'   CONFIDENCE   IN  GOD. 


have  had  spurious  successors  of  the  apostles,  and  of  Peter  in  partic- 
ular, who  have  called  upon  spurious  converts  to  do  the  same,  with 
promises  of  salvation  to  be  bought  with  money,  while  the  gifts  have 
been  confiscated  to  pride,  and  not  to  poverty  and  need.  Every 
Church,  like  every  seed,  brings  forth  after  its  kind.  Like  priest, 
like  people  ;  like  Church,  like  converts.  May  God  restore  us  again 
to  the  primitive  and  apostolic  type  of  Christianity ! 


August  14,  1893. 


XXXIII. 

ANANIAS    AND    SAPPHIRA.— Acts  v,  1-1  i. 

(1)  But  a  certain  man  named  Ananias,  with  Sapphira  his  wife,  sold  a  possession, 
(2)  And  kept  back  part  of  the  price,  his  wife  also  being  privy  to  it,  and  brought  a 
certain  part,  and  laid  it  at  the  apostles'  feet.  (3)  But  Peter  said.  Ananias,  why  bath 
Satan  filled  thine  heart  to  lie  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  keep  back  part  of  the  price 
of  the  land  ?  (4)  While  it  remained,  was  it  not  thine  own  ?  and  after  it  was  sold, 
was  it  not  in  thine  own  power  ?  why  hast  thou  conceived  this  thing  in  thine  heart  ? 
thou  hast  not  lied  unto  men,  but  unto  God.  (5)  And  Ananias  hearing  these  words 
fell  down,  and  gave  up  the  ghost :  and  great  fear  came  on  all  them  that  heard  these 
things.  (8)  And  the  young  men  arose,  wound  him  up,  and  carried  him  out,  and 
buried  him.  (7)  And  it  was  about  the  space  of  three  hours  after,  when  his  wife,  not 
knowing  what  was  done,  came  in.  (8)  And  Peter  answered  unto  her,  Tell  me 
whether  ye  sold  the  land  for  so  much  ?  And  she  said,  Yea,  for  so  much.  (9)  Then 
Peter  said  unto  her,  How  is  it  that  ye  have  agreed  together  to  tempt  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  ?  behold,  the  feet  of  them  which  have  buried  thy  husband  are  at  the  door,  and 
shall  carry  thee  out.  (10)  Then  fell  she  down  straightway  at  his  feet,  and  yielded  up 
the  ghost :  and  the  young  men  came  in,  and  found  her  dead,  and,  carrying  her  forth, 
buried  her  by  her  husband.  (1 1)  And  great  fear  came  upon  all  the  church,  and  upon 
as  many  as  heard  these  things.— Acts  v,  1-11. 

With  the  suddenness  of  a  tropical  storm,  the  calamity  which  is  re- 
corded in  the  first  part  of  this  chapter  arose  and  burst  over  the  head 
of  the  young  Christian  Church.  The  little  taste  of  persecution 
which  the  apostles  had  suffered,  instead  of  dispersing,  seems  to  have 
united  them,  while  their  faith  not  only  survived  the  shock,  but  lifted 
them  into  higher  regions  than  before.  Gladness,  confidence,  and 
great  grace  came  upon  them  all ;  they  seemed  in  every  way  to  be 
strengthened  by  such  a  fire  of  trial.  But  now  trouble  comes  from 
within.  An  enemy  is  in  the  camp.  The  birds  of  the  air  that  hov- 
ered about  the  wayside  to  pluck  up  the  scattered  grain  were  not  so 
formidable  as  this  sudden  development  of  rank  tares  in  the  midst  of 
the  field  of  ripening  grain.  Joy  is  suddenly  turned  into  sorrow,  and 
the  happy  ftar  of  the  Lord  is  for  the  moment  converted  into  terror. 
When  Barnabas,  a  man  of  wealth,  brought  the  price  of  his  posses- 
sions to  lay  at  the  apostles'  feet,  they  never  dreamt  that  the  devil 
would  so  soon  present  for  acceptance  a  counterfeit  of  that  noble  gen- 
erosity. But  the  whole  history  of  the  Church  is  aptly  epitomized  by 
the  parable  of  the  tares.     No  sooner  does  God  work  a  good  work  of 


25G  ANANIAS   AND   SAPPHIRA. 

grace,  and  cast  into  the  soil  of  human  nature  the  good  seed  of  the 
kingdom,  than  the  devil  comes  by  night  and  sows  tares.  The  dark 
shadow  of  Satan  casts  its  baleful  influence  on  every  spot  where  the 
work  of  grace  is  in  progress  ;  his  trail  passes  over  the  path  which  the 
feet  of  Jesus  have  trod  as  if  to  defile  the  way  and  hinder  others  from 
following  in  the  Master's  footsteps.  Cain  counterfeited  Abel's  ac- 
ceptable sacrifice  ;  Jannes  and  Jambres  counterfeited  the  miracles  of 
Moses  in  the  wilderness  ;  Nadab  and  Abihu  offered  strange  fire  be- 
fore the  Lord ;  false  prophets  spoke  smooth  and  deceiving  words  to 
the  kings  of  Israel,  causing  them  to  err ;  the  prophets  of  Baal  and 
Ashtaroth  turned  the  hearts  of  all  Israel  from  the  true  worship  of 
Jehovah,  while  as  yet  they  were  calling  on  his  name  ;  and  now  in  the 
young  Christian  Church  we  have  a  spurious,  lying,  and  false  conse- 
cration which,  if  God  had  not  forthwith  stamped  out,  would  have 
speedily  brought  the  Church  to  ruin.  Moses  had  his  Korah,  Joshua 
had  his  Achan,  Elisha  had  his  Gehazi,  Jesus  had  his  Judas,  the 
apostles  had  their  Ananias ;  Paul  had  Alexander,  the  coppersmith, 
and  Demas,  who  loved  this  present  world.  So  in  all  the  ages  since 
then  the  Church  has  had  to  contend  with  these  devil's  emissaries ; 
sometimes  they  have  crept  in  unawares,  and  sometimes  are  even 
nourished  by  the  Church  itself  for  gain.  The  danger  of  the  Church 
has  never  been  from  without.  The  more  she  has  been  persecuted, 
the  more  she  has  prospered  ;  but  when  those  within  turn  traitors 
either  in  doctrine  or  life,  then  it  is  that  her  peace  is  assailed,  her 
power  paralyzed,  and  her  victories  turned  into  defeats.  The  case 
before  us  was  most  sad.  The  hypocrisy  and  falsehood  of  Ananias 
was  a  blow  struck  by  Satan  at  the  peace,  the  purity,  and  the  power 
of  the  young  Church.  This  should  be  an  example  to  us  all — leading 
every  one  of  us  into  self-examination  to  see  if  in  anywise  we  are  be- 
ing deceived  by  the  enemy  of  our  own  souls  and  the  Church  of  God 
into  like  sin. 

I.— THE  AWFUL   LIB. 

The  apparent  facts  in  the  case  are  very  obvious.  This  man  An- 
anias, with  the  consent  and  help  of  his  wife,  sold  a  certain  posses- 
sion, which  was  probably  only  a  part  of  all  their  property,  for  a 
certain  price.  They  probably  meant  to  give  the  whole  sum  to  the 
Church ;  but  on  getting  the  money  into  their  hands,  they  were 
tempted  through  covetousness  to  keep  back  a  part  of  the  price  ;  still, 
through  fear  of  ridicule  and  criticism,  they  determined  to  act  as 
though  they  were  giving  the  whole  sum;  for  the  furtherance  of 
which  deception,  they  agreed  between  themselves  to  tell  the  same 


THE  AWFUL   LIE.  257 

story.  In  this  they  reckoned  with  Satan,  but  without  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  met  the  same  fate  as  all  liars  aud  hypocrites  must  at  tho 
end.  Certain  characters  have  come  down  to  us  through  all  ages  as 
being  the  embodiments  of  certain  vices.  The  same,  indeed,  is  true 
of  the  representatives  of  virtues.  We  have  already  mentioned  some 
of  these  notorious  men  and  women.  Yet  the  list  is  worth  repeating 
with  amendments.  Cain  represents  the  crime  of  murder,  as  well  as 
that  of  a  spurious  religion,  which  substituted  the  wisdom  of  the  nat- 
ural man  for  the  revelation  of  God ;  Jannes  and  Jambres  represent 
the  organized  opposition  of  heathenism  to  the  religion  of  Jehovah ; 
Nadab  and  Abihu,  the  substitution  of  the  energy  of  the  flesh  for  the 
power  of  the  Spirit ;  Korah  and  Dathan,  the  jealousy  of  men  who 
desire  to  be  leaders  in  the  Church ;  Balaam  is  the  false  prophet  who 
is  willing  for  gold  to  falsify  doctrine  and  use  religion  as  a  cloak  for 
covetousness  ;  Achan  is  another  embodiment  of  covetousness,  Gehazi 
also  repeating  this  common  sin ;  Manasseh  is  the  cruel  and  persecut- 
ing king ;  Ahab,  the  weak  instrument  of  a  strong  determined  woman 
who  hated  God ;  Judas,  the  black-hearted  traitor ;  Pilate,  the  perfid- 
ious betrayer  of  innocence  to  death  for  the  sake  of  political  power ; 
and  in  this  case  we  have  Ananias,  the  monumental  hypocrite  and  liar. 
The  list  might  well  be  lengthened ;  but  it  is  enough  to  suggest  that 
in  such  characters  we  have  concrete  illustrations  of  the  cardinal  sins 
of  human  nature,  all  of  which  came  to  judgment  in  this  life,  that  we 
might  be  forewarned  against  their  entangling  meshes.  In  the  case 
of  Ananias,  we  see  a  deliberate  and  needless  sin,  which  led  on  first 
to  others,  and  then  to  death.  No  sin  stands  alone ;  and  the  sin  be- 
gotten of  another  will  ever  augment  in  wickedness  till  it  reaches  the 
worst  heights  of  human  iniquity. 

1. — The  sin  of  covetousness. — Though  lying  is  the  sin  promi- 
nently singled  out  in  this  tragic  record,  covetousness  was  the  root 
from  whence  it  sprang.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  covetousness  is  the 
most  common  sin  mentioned  in  the  Bible, — the  sin  against  which  we 
read  the  most  impressive  warnings.  The  last  compromise  which 
Pharaoh  proposed  to  Moses  before  leaving  Egypt,  was  in  respect  cf 
leaving  flocks  and  herds  behind.  The  first  sin  that  confronted 
Israel  after  entering  the  Land  of  Promise,  which  turned  victory  into 
defeat,  was  that  of  covetousness  in  the  family  of  Achan ;  and  here 
we  find  the  first  great  sin  that  threatened  the  peace  and  happiness 
of  the  infant  Christian  Church  to  be  the  same.  Certainly  it  seems 
clear  that  the  "love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil "  ;  and  we  are  not 
surprised  that  the  Apostle  Paul  classifies  it  with  every  worst  sin, 
and  brands  it  alone  as  being  "idolatry  " ;  so  great  a  hold  has  it  upon 


258  ANANIAS   AND   SAPPHIRA. 

the  affections  of  men,  that  it  even  leads  them  to  worship  and  put 
their  trust  in  money.  As  we  have  already  observed,  it  is  probable  ' 
that  the  scheme  to  keep  back  part  of  the  price  did  not  arise  in  the 
mind  of  Ananias  until  after  the  possession  was  sold  and  the  money 
was  to  hand.  The  sight,  the  feel,  the  tinkle  of  the  gold  was  more 
than  they  could  bear ;  the  appeal  which  the  actual  quantity  of  money 
made  to  their  covetousness  was  so  irresistible,  that  they  finally  de- 
termined to  perpetrate  the  fraud  which  well-nigh  ruined  the  Church. 
Like  blood  to  the  sight  and  taste  of  the  tiger,  so  was  the  sight  of 
money  to  the  greed  of  these  avaricious  professors. 

2.— The  hypocrisy. — Having  determined  to  keep  back  part  of  the 
price,  the  next  thing  to  be  considered  was  how  the  act  might  be 
done,  while  themselves  might  be  saved  from  censure,  and  at  the 
same  time  get  credit  for  liberality.  Under  the  impulse  of  the  Spirit, 
some  of  those  who  had  possessions  in  the  Church  sold  them  (for  it 
is  not  clear  that  all  did  so) ;  notably  Joses,  this  Cyprian  stranger,  to 
whom  great  praise  had  accrued  for  his  noble  generosity.  This  ex- 
cited the  desire  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira  to  be  held  in  a  like  estima- 
tion. But  now  their  avarice  got  the  better  of  their  ambition  to  be 
considered  liberal,  and  they  faltered.  Still,  after  having  sold  the 
possession,  they  could  scarcely  draw  back.  To  do  so  would  have 
brought  them  into  contempt ;  to  have  frankly  owned  that  they  only 
gave  a  part  of  the  price,  would  have  taken  away  from  their  benev- 
olent act  a  large  measure  of  its  virtue  by  robbing  it  of  the  appear- 
ance of  liberality.  Desiring,  therefore,  to  stand  well  with  the  Church, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  keep  part  of  their  money,  they  determined 
to  act  a  lie,  and  to  play  the  hypocrite.  They  would  do  that  which 
would  lead  to  a  false  conclusion  on  the  part  of  the  Church,  and 
which  would  bring  them  praise.  It  is  not  likely  that  they  said  to 
themselves,  "We  will  play  the  hypocrite."  Few  men  call  their  own 
sins  by  their  true  name  ;  that  would  frighten  them.  They  first  de- 
ceive themselves,  and  then  seek  to  deceive  others.  They  thought 
simply  to  lay  a  certain  portion  of  the  money  down  at  the  apostles' 
feet  and  say  nothing,  allowing  them  and  the  Church  to  reach  the  con- 
clusion which  they  would  naturally  draw  from  the  action,  that  it  was 
the  whole  price  of  the  possession  which  they  had  sold. 

3.— The  awful  lie.— They  did  not  intend  to  lie  in  words,  and  per- 
haps they  did  not  admit  to  themselves  that  their  circuitous  action 
was  a  lie.  They  would  reserve  to  themselves  the  right  of  saying,  in 
answer  to  any  question  that  might  arise  in  the  future,  "We  never 
said  that  we  had  given  the  whole  price ;  if  you  came  to  any  conclu- 
sion of  that  kind,  it  was  the  result  of  your  own  inference,  and  not  of 


THE   LIE   UNMASKED.  259 

our  statement.  You  must  not  hold  us  accountable  for  your  false  in- 
ferences. "  Many  a  man  has  told  an  awful  lie,  by  simply  holding  his 
tongue  and  saying  nothing.  Some  people  persuade  themselves  that 
a  nod  or  a  shake  of  the  head,  under  certain  circumstances  is  not 
"telling"  lies.  The  awful  character  of  this  lie  is  seen  in  the  fact 
that  it  was  perpetrated  by  those  who  were  part  of  a  community  born 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  therefore  pledged  to  truth  as  no  others  in  the 
world,  inasmuch  as  a  lie  of  this  kind,  and  under  such  circumstances, 
would  put  a  weapon  in  the  hands  of  their  enemies,  which  would  be 
more  powerful  for  their  hurt,  and  for  the  discredit  of  the  name  of 
Jesus,  than  all  the  power  of  their  very  foes.  It  would  set  an  ex- 
ample of  meanness,  deceit,  and  falsehood,  which  would  speedily  cor- 
rupt and  destroy  the  whole  community.  It  was  an  evil  seed  that 
would  soon  scatter  itself  over  the  whole  field  of  Christianity,  and 
spoil  the  entire  harvest,  as  the  thorns  which  sprang  up  and  choked 
the  good  seed.  One  liar  in  the  Church  works  more  mischief  than  a 
whole  regiment  of  slanderers  outside.  One  hypocrite  in  the  Church 
is  a  greater  enemy  to  the  cause  of  Christ  than  a  whole  army  of  per- 
secutors arrayed  against  it. 

II.— THE   LIE   UNMASKED. 

If  men,  whether  professors  of  religion  or  not,  would  but  remem- 
ber that  "all  things  are  naked  and  exposed  to  the  eyes  of  him  with 
whom  we  have  to  do,"  there  would  be  more  hesitancy  before  com- 
mitting sin.  Men  forget  that  the  eye  of  God  is  upon  both  the  right- 
eous and  the  wicked,  that  God  knows  even  the  secrets  of  our 
thoughts.  Ananias  imagined  that  their  action  would  go  no  further 
than  the  men  with  whom  they  were  dealing ;  that  the  outward  as- 
pect alone  would  be  regarded ;  that  at  most  their  offense  would  be 
against  men  only,  and  not  against  God.  So  thought  David ;  but  he 
afterward  learned  to  his  sorrow  his  terrible  mistake,  and  was  con- 
strained to  burst  out  with  this  heart-breaking  confession :  "Against 
thee,  thee  only,  have  I  sinned,  and  done  this  evil  in  thy  sight."  How 
sudden  and  terrible  was  their  awakening !  No  sooner  had  they 
brought  their  gift,  than  their  hypocrisy  was  exposed ;  than  the  hid- 
den lie  budding  in  their  hearts  burst  into  full  bloom.  Peter  was  in- 
spired of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  see  the  whole  transaction  as  by  a  single 
glance ;  just  as  Elisha  saw  the  lie  that  was  in  the  heart  of  Gehazi. 
In  a  single  sentence  Peter  unmasked  the  whole  wickedness  of  this 
man,  and  laid  bare  to  his  gaze,  and  that  of  all  succeeding  genera- 
tions, the  whole  inner  workings  and  mysteries  of  sin. 


260  ANANIAS    AND   SAPPHIRA. 

1. — The  agency  of  Satan  in  all  human  sin. — "Why  hath  Satan 
filled  thy  heart  ?  "  The  first  thing  noticeable  here  is,  the  clear  and 
positive  recognition  of  Satan  as  a  person.  Peter  does  not  speak  of 
him  as  an  influence  or  a  symbol  of  evil.  The  whole  language  is  too 
simple,  literal,  and  direct  to  admit  of  any  other  conclusion  than  that 
Peter  believed  him  to  be  an  intelligent,  personal  spirit,  working 
against  God,  for  the  destruction  of  men.  Again,  if  any  one  doubts 
the  direct  agency  of  Satan  in  the  moral  evil  of  the  world,  this  pas- 
sage ought  to  set  the  matter  at  rest.  Who  can  read  this  incident, 
and  that  recorded  in  the  third  chapter  of  Genesis,  without  being 
struck  with  the  unity  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible.  In  Genesis, 
Satan  was  the  wicked  and  subtle  spirit,  tempting  Adam  and  Eve  to 
doubt  God,  and  then  to  disobey  him ;  here  he  is  acting  precisely  in 
the  same  way.  So  also  now  there  are  cases  where  he  seems  to  take 
entire  possession  of  men.  In  this  passage  he  is  said  to  have  filled 
the  heart  of  Ananias,  just  as  he  had  before  filled  the  heart  of  Judas ; 
it  was  not  a  simple  suggestion  to  sin,  but  a  bold  entering  into  the 
heart  and  taking  entire  possession  of  it,  and  so  leading  it  on,  through 
pride  and  envy,  to  covetousness,  hypocrisy,  and  falsehood.  How 
terrible  a  thing  to  be  thus  possessed  of  the  devil ! 

2. — Human  responsibility. — It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  man 
is  not  the  helpless  victim  of  Satan.  The  question  of  Peter  implies 
that  it  was  with  the  full  consent  of  Ananias  that  Satan  filled  his 
heart.  "  Why  hast  thou  allowed  Satan  to  do  it?"  is  the  true  force 
of  Peter's  question.  "  Why  hast  thou  conceived  this  thing  in  thy 
heart  ?  "  Here  is  the  secret  way  of  access  by  which  Satan  enters  our 
hearts.  Ananias  first  conceived  or  gave  entertainment  to  the  idea ; 
then  Satan  entered  in  and  urged  him  on  to  its  accomplishment.  A 
wicked  thought  entertained  is  an  open  door  to  Satan.  When  Eve 
saw  the  tree  and  its  fruit,  and  began  to  desire  it  and  wonder  about 
it,  then  Satan  came  upon  the  scene.  The  lust  of  the  eye,  the  lust 
of  the  flesh,  and  the  pride  of  the  life,  are  all  open  doors.  Ananias 
need  not  have  done  the  thing.  He  was  under  no  compulsion  to  sell 
the  land,  and  when  he  had  sold  it,  he  was  not  compelled  to  give  the 
money,  in  whole  or  in  part,  to  the  Church.  Christian  beneficence  is 
always  a  voluntary  matter. 

3. — The  direction  of  the  lie. — "Thou  hast  not  lied  unto  men, 
but  unto  God."  In  the  third  verse,  Peter  says  the  lie  was  to  the 
"Holy  Ghost."  Here  we  have  two  important  truths  set  before  us. 
The  Holy  Ghost  is  a  person,  and  not  a  mere  influence ;  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  God.  No  ingenuity  of  interpretation  can  escape  the  plain 
teaching  of  this  passage.     All  sin  is  against  God ;  in  some  of  its 


THE   SWIFT   AND   AWFUL   PUNISHMENT.  261 

aspects,  it  is  specially  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  David  said  his  sin 
was  against  God;  against  his  holiness  and  majesty.  Here  the  sin 
was  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
product  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  this  act  of  Ananias  was  primarily 
against  the  Holy  Ghost,  because  he  is  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  and  any 
act  committed  by  a  man  professing  to  have  been  born  of  the  Spirit, 
which  denies  the  character  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  against  that  Person 
of  the  Trinity.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  the  Spirit  of  Holiness  ;  the  whole 
act  of  Ananias  was  a  contradiction  of  that  divine  attribute.  He 
came  into  the  world  to  regenerate  and  sanctify  men ;  but  here  was  a 
man  claiming  to  be  a  child  of  the  Holy  Spirit  who,  acting  under  the 
direction  of  the  devil,  was  scandalizing  the  character  of  God,  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Further,  it  was  an  act  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  it 
tended  to  destroy  and  compromise  the  character  of  the  Church.  The 
Church  is  supposed  to  be  the  reflector  of  the  holiness  of  God ;  and  if 
members  of  the  Church  give  themselves  over  to  sin,  the  whole 
Church  is  involved  in  the  consequent  scandal.  Just  as  a  whole 
human  family  suffers  in  the  disgrace  of  one  member,  so  the  whole 
Church  is  besmirched  by  the  sin  of  one  professing  Christian,  and 
thus  the  Holy  Spirit  is  grieved  and  wronged  in  the  household  of 
faith.  Moreover,  it  was  a  blow  to  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
His  work  had  brought  peace,  purity,  and  power  to  the  Church ;  now 
all  was  for  a  moment  disturbed ;  and  unless  the  lie  had  been  in- 
stantly checked,  all  would  have  been  ruined.  It  is  said  that  the  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost  consists  in  ascribing  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  the  devil ;  here,  however,  is  a  clear  case  of  the  sin  against 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  it  consists  in  surrendering  the  heart  to  Satan, 
to  scandalize  the  character,  and  destroy  the  work  of  the  Spirit  of 
God.  Satan's  enmity  is  not  simply  against  men ;  his  purpose  is  not 
only  to  drag  men  down  into  the  pit  with  himself ;  he  is  actuated  by 
hatred  against  God,  and  a  determination  to  defeat  his  purpose  of 
grace  in  the  world. 

in.— THE   SWIFT  AND  AWFUL  PUNISHMENT. 

We  are  struck  with  the  swift  and  awful  punishment  which  fol- 
lowed upon  the  commission  of  this  sin.  The  hypocritical  lie  of  An- 
anias was  instantly  uncovered ;  before  he  had  time  to  answer  or 
make  the  least  defense,  he  fell  down  dead  at  the  apostles'  feet.  No 
doubt  he  was  dumfounded  and  rendered  speechless  with  amaze- 
ment, at  the  sudden  exposure  of  his  sin.  Some  have  thought  that 
the  nervous   shock    caused  by  this   exposure   in  presence   of  the 


2G2  ANANIAS  AND   SAPPHIRA. 

whole  Church,  resulted  in  a  •sudden  attack  of  heart  disease  ;  but  this 
theory  can  hardly  hold  good  in  presence  of  the  fact  that,  within 
three  hours,  Sapphira,  coming  in,  ignorant  of  what  had  befallen  her 
husband,  and  in  answer  to  Peter's  question  backing  up  the  lie  upon 
which  they  had  agreed,  suffered  in  like  manner  the  swift  penalty 
which  overtook  her  husband.  If  the  question  is  raised  as  to  the 
unmercifulness  of  the  punishment,  and  that  it  is  contrary  to  the 
character  of  God  to  be  so  pitiless,  we  must  refer  our  readers  to  the 
undoubted  fact  that,  in  certain  crises  of  the  Church's  history,  God 
has  acted  in  this  way,  and  that,  as  we  must  believe,  in  perfect  ac- 
cord with  the  principles  of  both  righteousness  and  mercy.  In  the 
wilderness,  the  earth  swallowed  up  Korah ;  the  fire  flew  forth,  and 
destroyed  Nadab  and  Abihu.  (Num.  xvi;  Lev.  x,  2.)  A  similar 
judgment  overtook  Aehan  in  the  camp  of  Israel.  What  is  the  ex- 
planation of  these  severe  and  swift  judgments?  Moses  asserts  the 
principle  in  the  case  of  Nadab  and  Abihu:  "  This  is  that  that  the 
Lord  spake,  saying,  I  will  be  sanctified  in  them  that  come  nigh  me, 
and  before  all  the  people  I  will  be  glorified."  Had  the  act  of  these 
two  men,  at  the  very  inauguration  of  the  worship  of  God  in  the  wil- 
derness, been  overlooked,  the  distinction  between  the  true  and  false 
in  religion  would  have  been  lost.  Had  the  sin  of  Achan  been  passed 
by,  the  conquest  of  the  land  would  have  been  turned  into  a  mere 
filibustering  expedition  for  the  sake  of  spoil.  Had  the  sin  of  An- 
anias been  passed  by,  hypocrisy  and  lying  might  have  become  an 
established  and  recognized  characteristic  of  the  Church.  The  Church 
was  not  old  enough  or  strong  enough,  at  that  time,  to  survive  such 
a  triple  sin.  If  God  does  not  now  instantly  send  swift  vengeance 
upon  all  hypocrites  and  liars,  it  is  not  because  he  has  altered  his 
purpose  toward  them.  He  has  given  us  a  warning,  and  shown  us  in 
time  what  is  reserved  for  all  such  in  eternity.  This  is  but  a  little 
scrap  of  the  judgment  enacted  before  our  eyes.  If  Jesus  has  said 
to  certain  professors,  who  were  tempted  to  look  back:  " Remember 
Lot's  wife,"  he  says  no  less  to  us  also,  who  may  be  tempted  by  cov- 
etousness  into  hypocrisy  and  lying:  "Remember  Ananias  and  Sap- 
phira." The  lesson  seems  to  have  had  a  salutary  effect,  both  upon 
the  Church  and  upon  the  community  without.  The  Church  came  to 
a  sense  of  awe  and  reverence  for  the  holiness  and  justice  of  God, 
such  as  they  had  not  apprehended  before ;  and  the  outside  world, 
hearing  of  these  things,  experienced  a  dread  of  God,  that  probably 
wrought  much  conviction  of  sin.  "And  great  fear  came  upon  all 
the  Church;  and  upon  as  many  as  heard  these  things."  "He  that 
hath  an  ear  to  hear,  let  him  hear." 


August  21, 


XXXIV. 
THE    APOSTLES    PERSECUTED.— Acts  v,  25-41. 

(25)  Then  came  one  and  told  them,  saying,  Behold,  the  men  whom  ye  put  in 
prison  are  standing  in  the  temple,  and  teaching  the  people.  (26)  Then  went  the 
captain  with  the  officers,  and  brought  them  without  violence  :  for  they  feared  the 
people,  lest  they  should  have  been  stoned.  (27)  And  when  they  had  brought  them, 
they  set  them  before  the  council :  and  the  high  priest  asked  them,  (28)  Saying,  Did 
not  we  straitly  command  you  that  ye  should  not  teach  in  this  name  ?  and,  behold,  ye 
have  filled  Jerusalem  with  your  doctrine,  and  intend  to  bring  this  man's  blood  upon 
us.  (29)  Then  Peter  and  the  other  apostles  answered  and  said,  We  ought  to  obey 
God  rather  than  man.  (80)  The  God  of  our  fathers  raised  up  Jesus,  whom  ye  slew 
and  hanged  on  a  tree.  (31)  Him  hath  God  exalted  with  his  right  hand  to  be  a  Prince 
and  a  Saviour,  for  to  give  repentance  to  Israel,  and  forgiveness  of  sins.  (32)  And 
we  are  his  witnesses  of  these  things  ;  and  so  is  also  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  God  hath 
given  to  them  that  obey  him.  (£3)  When  they  heard  that,  they  were  cut  to  the 
heart,  and  took  counsel  to  slay  them.  (34)  Then  stood  there  up  one  in  the  council, 
a  Pharisee,  named  Gamaliel,  a  doctor  of  the  law,  had  in  reputation  among  all  the  peo- 
ple, and  commanded  to  put  the  apostles  forth  a  little  space  ;  (35)  And  said  unto  them, 
Ye  men  of  Israel,  take  heed  to  yourselves  what  ye  intend  to  do  as  touching  these 
men.  (33)  For  before  these  days  rose  up  Theudas,  boasting  himself  to  be  some- 
body ;  to  whom  a  number  of  men,  about  four  hundred,  joined  themselves  :  who  was 
slain  ;  and  all,  as  many  as  obeyed  him,  were  scattered,  and  brought  to  nought.  (37) 
After  this  man  rose  up  Judas  of  Galilee  in  the  days  of  the  taxing,  and  drew  away 
much  people  after  him :  ha  also  perished  ;  and  all,  even  as  many  as  obeyed  him, 
were  dispersed.  (38)  And  now  I  say  unto  you.  Refrain  from  these  men,  and  let  them 
alone  :  for  if  this  counsel  or  this  work  be  of  men,  it  will  come  to  nought :  (39)  But 
if  it  be  of  God,  ye  cannot  overthrow  it ;  lest  haply  ye  be  found  even  to  fight 
against  God.  (40)  And  to  him  they  agreed  :  and  when  they  had  called  the  apostles, 
and  beaten  them,  they  commanded  that  they  should  not  speak  in  the  name  of  Jesus, 
and  let  them  go.  (41)  And  they  departed  from  the  presence  of  the  council,  rejoicing 
that  they  were  counted  worthy  to  suffer  shame  for  his  name.— Acts  v,  25-41. 

This  chapter  opened  with  an  account  of  a  blow  aimed  at  the 
young  Church  by  a  liar  and  a  hypocrite,  by  which  the  very  life  of 
the  Church  was  threatened.  God  met  the  insult  and  crime  promptly, 
and  the  guilty  pair  were  made  to  bito  the  dust  in  the  very  same  hour 
with  their  sin.  The  immediate  effect  of  the  awful  but  just  judgment 
that  came  upon  Ananias  and  Sapphira  was  that  the  Church  was  sol- 
emnized and  outsiders  were  filled  with  a  wholesome  fear.  There 
were  some  ("the  rest,"  v.  13)  who  seemed,  like  Ananias,  to  have 
contemplated  uniting  with  the  Church  whose  hearts  were  not  given 

263 


264         THE  APOSTLES  PERSECUTED. 

to  God ;  who  looked  upon  it  as  a  popular  movement  out  of  which 
they  might  gain  some  advantage ;  but  the  swift  exposure  of  the  hy- 
pocrisy of  these  two  people  suddenly  deterred  them  from  joining 
the  Christian  community.  On  the  other  hand,  the  apostles  were 
greatly  strengthened  to  do  mighty  signs  and  wonders  among  the 
people,  especially  miracles  of  healing.  The  streets  of  the  city  were 
filled  with  the  sick  folk  who  had  been  brought  out  by  their  friends, 
that  they  might  be  healed ;  so  great  was  the  power  to  heal  that  the 
people  who  could  not  get  near  enough  to  Peter  for  him  to  speak 
directly  to  their  sick  friends  or  lay  his  hands  on  them,  laid  them 
where  the  shadow  of  Peter  might  fall  upon  them  as  he  passed  by. 
The  news  of  this  new  power  in  the  apostles  spread  to  the  country, 
and  from  the  villages  all  about  the  people  came  flocking  in.  Be- 
sides this,  a  multitude  of  men  and  women  became  true  believers, 
and  while  the  timid  and  false-hearted  durst  not  join  the  company  of 
disciples  openly,  yet  many  of  them,  too,  were  added  to  the  Lord. 
This  was  a  glorious  revival,  and  types  to  us  of  what  the  Lord  is  wait- 
ing to  do  for  his  Church  in  any  age  and  at  any  time,  if  his  people 
will  yield  themselves  as  utterly  as  these  first  disciples  did.  The 
course  of  events,  however,  were  not  to  run  on  so  smoothly.  Satan 
will  not  quietly  stand  by  and  see  souls  swept  into  the  kingdom  in  this 
way.  His  agents  are  the  same  whom  he  had  before  used.  The  High 
Priest  and  his  party  (the  Sadducees),  seeing  and  hearing  how  the 
sect  was  spreading,  and  how  their  enthusiasm  was  rising  every  day, 
were  "filled  with  indignation,"  that  is,  with  envy.  Angry  that  the 
sect  which  they  had  vainly  tried  to  put  down  was  growing,  indignant 
that  the  men  whom  they  had  forbidden  to  preach  were  still  boldly 
preaching,  conscience-stricken  that  this  Name  of  Jesus,  whom  they 
had  crucified  was  on  the  lips  of  everybody  as  having  been  raised 
from  the  dead,  and  jealous  that  the  people  seemed  to  be  siding  with 
the  apostles  and  utterly  ignoring  their  authority,  they  determined 
to  make  one  more  effort  to  suppress  what  was  to  them  a  rising  pest. 
They  resorted  to  the  only  argument  known  to  persecutors :  Without 
attempting  to  confute  their  facts  or  their  doctrines,  they  arbitrarily 
arrest  and  throw  them  into  the  "common  prison."  They  treat  them 
as  common  criminals.  But  the  angel  of  the  Lord  promptly  releases 
them,  and  bids  them  "  go  stand  and  speak  in  the  temple  to  the  peo- 
ple, all  the  words  of  this  Life."  Thus  encouraged,  the  apostles  go 
early  in  the  morning  back  to  their  old  place  on  Solomon's  porch  and 
again  teach  the  people.  Unaware  of  this  morning  episode,  the 
High  Priest  and  his  party  gather  at  his  house  and  consult  together 
what  they  shall  do  with  the  apostles  whom  they  supposed  to  be 


THE   RE-ARREST   OF   THE  APOSTLES.  265 

awaiting  their  will  in  the  prison.  They  finally  sent  the  officer  of  the 
guard  to  bring  the  prisoners  before  them,  when,  lo,  the  report  comes 
back  that  the  prison  doors  were  duly  shut,  and  the  guard  on  the  out- 
side, but  the  apostles  were  not  there.  This  information  struck  them 
with  amazement.  They  could  not  understand  this  new  develop- 
ment, and  began  to  look  into  each  other's  faces  and  wonder  what 
would  happen  next. 

I.— THE  RE-ARREST  OF  THE  APOSTLES. 

However,  they  had  gone  too  far  to  retreat.  While  they  were 
consulting  together,  news  came  to  them  of  the  whereabouts  of  the 
missing  apostles. 

1. — The  information. — "  Then  came  one  and  told  them,  saying, 
Behold  the  men  whom  ye  put  in  prison  are  standing  in  the  temple 
and  teaching  the  people."  Certainly  where  else  would  these  men  be  ? 
Perhaps,  if  we  had  been  there,  with  the  fear  of  the  prison  before  us, 
even  though  we  had  been  miraculously  delivered  a  while  before,  we 
should  have  counseled  prudence,  and  gone  at  least  into  some  back 
street  and  quietly  gathered  our  followers  together  and  reasoned  with 
them  that  it  was  not  best  to  give  offense  to  the  rulers,  that  in  the 
long  run  we  would  gain  more  by  a  conservative  than  a  radical  course. 
At  least  many  of  us  do  so  now.  But  these  were  men  of  conviction. 
They  had  seen  and  heard.  They  had  fully  adopted  the  principle 
that  it  was  better  to  obey  God  than  man ;  that  if  man  put  himself  in 
God's  way  it  was  not  their  fault,  but  would  be  man's  responsibility. 
They  did  not  consider  consequences,  but  simply  did  what  they  were 
bidden  to  do  by  the  angel.  Of  what  an  offense  they  were  guilty ! 
"  standing  in  the  temple  and  teaching  the  people."  Well,  in  all  ages 
since  they  have  had  their  successors,  who  also  have  been  brought  up 
by  information  before  councils  of  kings  and  rulers,  for  "  preaching 
the  Gospel  of  the  Son  of  God."  May  none  of  us  ever  be  guilty  of  a 
worse  offense ! 

2. — The  arrest. — The  question  was  now  on  the  hands  of  the  sen- 
ate. What  will  they  do?  It  would  have  been  wise  for  them  to  have 
yielded  to  the  logic  of  events.  They  should  have  learned  by  this 
time  that  these  men  would  not  heed  their  admonition ;  and  if  the 
very  prison  refused  to  keep  them  was  not  God,  in  some  mysterious 
way,  interposing  on  their  behalf?  But  their  foolish  hearts  were 
darkened,  and  passion  and  hatred  had  taken  the  place  of  reason  and 
judgment.  They  must  do  something.  So  they  determined  upon  a 
second  arrest.     The  captain  of  the  temple,  with  his  officers,  "  went 


200  THE  APOSTLES  PERSECUTED. 

and  brought  them  without  violence,  for  they  feared  the  people,  lest 
they  should  have  been  stoned."  Not  a  very  dignified  performance 
indeed,  but  there  was  a  wholesome  fear  upon  them.  Had  these 
men  been  real  criminals,  had  there  been  real  fault  in  them,  they 
would  have  proceeded  boldly  to  their  work ;  but  their  hearts  were 
weak  through  conscious  fear  and  knowledge  of  wrong  on  their  part. 
The  apostles  seem  not  to  have  resisted  their  arrest.  They  were 
warranted  in  refusing  to  obey  the  then  powers  when  their  commands 
contravened  the  commandments  of  God,  but  they  were  not  war- 
ranted in  resisting  the  arrest  of  the  officers.  Even  their  Master 
had  taught  them  that  lesson.  They  were  ready  to  abide  another 
trial,  for  they  knew  that  God  was  with  them,  to  deliver  them  as  he 
saw  fit.     So  they  were  brought  and  set  before  the  council. 

3. — The  examination. — Having  arraigned  them,  their  examiners 
first  put  a  question  and  then  laid  a  double  charge.  "  Did  we  not 
straightway  command  you,  that  ye  should  not  teach  in  this  name?" 
No  doubt  they  had  so  commanded  (iv,  18),  but  what  of  it?  They  had 
no  authority.  Nevertheless,  when  men  begin  to  rely  upon  might  for 
right,  their  own  will  answers  all  the  purpose  of  law  to  them.  And 
so  disobedience  to  their  command  was  the  first  charge,  not  disobedi- 
ence to  God's  law.  Then  follow  two  charges  which  one  would  have 
thought  they  would  have  been  slow  to  formulate  :  "  And  behold,  ye 
have  filled  Jerusalem  with  your  doctrine."  This  was  a  great  admis- 
sion and  a  most  gratifying  confession.  In  spite  of  the  fact  that  they 
had  crucified  the  Lord  and  brought  all  their  power  to  bear  on  the 
suppression  of  these  apostles  and  the  stamping  out  of  the  doctrine, 
all  Jerusalem  was  filled  with  the  doctrine  of  Jesus  and  the  resurrec- 
tion. Well  could  the  apostles  afford  to  stand  the  arrest  and  exam- 
ination if  their  heavenly  work  had  been  so  blessed  of  God.  Wo 
should  have  thought  that  the  High  Priest  would  have  paused  beforo 
impressing  such  an  evident  seal  of  truth  upon  the  apostles'  work. 
Then  the  other  charge  came  :  "  And  intend  to  bring  this  man's  blood 
upon  us."  Here  is  the  voice  of  conscience.  When  they  had  insisted 
before  Pilate  upon  the  crucifixion  of  Jesus,  they  had  boldly  shouted  : 
"His  blood  be  upon  us  and  our  children."  They  had  accepted  tho 
issue  then,  but  they  shrank  from  the  consequences  of  their  wicked 
challenge,  now  that  it  seemed  likely  to  fall  out  against  them.  No 
doubt  they  had  that  very  challenge  in  their  minds,  echoing  through 
their  memories  and  consciences  with  fearful  and  portentous  voice. 
No  doubt,  also,  Peter  had  given  them  some  ground  for  this  charge, 
for  he  had  boldly  reminded  them  of  their  crime,  and  charged  it  upon 
them  in  the  several  addresses  which  are  recorded  in  the  previous 


THE   APOSTLES'   ANSWER.  2G7 

chapters  of  this  book.  It  is  said  by  some  that  their  thought  and 
charge  was  that  Peter  was  inciting  the  populace  to  rise  up  and  mob 
them ;  but  there  is  no  ground  for  this.  Peter,  while  charging  upon 
them  the  crime  of  the  murder  of  the  Lord,  had  never  uttered  a  syl- 
lable of  revenge  or  desire  to  see  them  punished ;  on  the  other  hand, 
he  had  exhorted  them  to  repentance  by  accepting  Jesus  as  the 
Saviour  whom  they  had  denied  as  the  Messiah.  No  ;  it  was  the  voice 
of  their  own  consciences  alone  that  caused  them  to  speak  this.  The 
blood  of  Christ  was  on  their  hands  and  consciences,  crying  aloud,  as 
the  blood  of  Abel  cried  from  the  ground.  The  very  name  of  Jesus 
seems  to  have  been  a  terror  to  them,  for  in  all  their  interviews  with 
the  apostles  they  never  once  name  him.  Perhaps,  also,  it  was  partly 
in  a  contemptuous  hatred  that  they  only  allude  to  Jesus  as  "this 
name,"  and  "this  man."  So,  also,  in  speaking  of  the  teaching  of 
the  apostles,  they  call  it  "your  doctrine,"  whereas  it  was  the  doc- 
trine of  Jesus.  But  they  could  not  get  rid  of  the  solemn  facts  in  the 
case  by  refusing  to  call  them  by  their  proper  names. 

H.— THE   APOSTLES'   ANSWER. 

The  apostles  had  no  advocate  to  plead  for  them  save  the  Holy 
Ghost,  which  was  in  them  and  with  them  to  teach  them  what  they 
should  say  in  that  hour.  In  Peter's  answer  we  see  the  same  holy 
boldness,  the  same  heavenly  wisdom,  and  the  same  lofty  tone  of 
compassion  and  longing  desire  for  the  salvation  of  souls  as  in  his 
former  address. 

1. — Concerning  themselves. — The  High  Priest  had  begun  their 
examination  by  reminding  them  of  a  past  command  not  to  preach  in 
the  name  of  Jesus:  "Did  we  not  straitly  command  you  that  ye 
should  not  teach  in  this  name?"  To  which  Peter  replies  with  ad- 
mirable tact  and  skill :  "  And  did  we  not  then  answer  by  implica- 
tion that  'We  ought  to  obey  God  rather  than  men.'  Now  we  do  not 
put  it  in  the  form  of  a  question  to  you,  but  boldly  affirm  this  as  our 
principle  :  We  ought  to  obey  God  rather  than  men,  and  so  we  will." 
This  was  not  defiance,  but  a  firm  stand  taken  and  held  against  all 
earthly  rule  and  power.  So  may  God  strengthen  us  both  to  say  and 
to  do  in  all  things. 

2. — Concerning  Jesus. — They  did  not  waste  many  words  in  jus- 
tifying themselves.  They  pass  on  at  once  to  Jesus  and  his  claims. 
The  High  Priest  had  studiously  avoided  mentioning  the  name  of 
Jesus,  but  Peter  boldly  and  lovingly  brings  that  name  forward,  as 
being  already  above  every  name  most  dear  to  him  and  the  disciples. 


268  THE  APOSTLES  PERSECUTED. 

"  The  God  of  our  fathers  raised  up  Jesus,  whom  ye  slew  and  hanged 
upon  a  tree."  How  that  sentence  must  have  pierced  their  hearts! 
It  was  not  they  who  were  bringing  forward  Jesus  in  their  doctrine 
and  teaching.  It  was  "the  God  of  our  fathers."  "Bring  not  your 
accusations  against  us.  We  did  not  raise  up  Jesus  from  the  dead, 
but  the  God  of  our  fathers — your  God  and  our  God — raised  him  up." 
The  assertion  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  must  have  been  bitter  to 
the  judges.  They  had  supposed  that  by  crucifying  him  they  had 
gotten  rid  of  a  troublesome  teacher  who  was  undermining  their 
power  and  exposing  the  hollow  hypocrisy  of  their  religious  preten- 
sions ;  but  now  everywhere  the  city  is  ringing  with  the  declaration 
that  Jesus  is  alive  from  the  dead.  "Whom  ye  slew  and  hanged 
upon  a  tree."  Dreadful  thought !  If  Jesus  was  alive  from  the  dead, 
then  he  was  the  Messiah,  and  these  men  were  his  murderers.  Here 
was  bold  preaching  and  terrible  indictment.  Again  the  court  finds 
itself  on  trial  before  its  prisoners.  The  persecutors  are  prosecuted 
at  the  bar  of  conscience  and  God.  But  Peter  is  not  so  anxious  to 
bring  them  in  guilty  as  he  is  to  lead  them  out  of  their  position  of 
sin.  He  says  nothing  to  them  of  the  vengeance  of  God  coming  upon 
them  for  their  awful  crime,  but  puts  Jesus  before  them  in  a  wonder- 
ful new  light.  They  had  indeed  rejected  him  as  their  Messiah ;  but 
God  had  overruled  their  crime  by  raising  up  Jesus  from  the  dead  and 
exalting  him  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour,  to  give  repentance  to 
Israel  and  forgiveness  of  sins.  Here  are  three  great  things  affirmed 
of  Jesus  in  his  exaltation,  (i)  He  is  a  Prince  in  view  of  his  Divine 
origin,  in  view  of  his  testimonials  while  on  earth,  and  now  in  view 
of  his  exaltation  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  All  power  is  his.  Peter 
would  call  the  attention  of  the  Sanhedrin  to  this  fact.  They  had 
denounced  him  as  a  blasphemer  and  a  malefactor,  and  had  insisted 
on  his  execution  as  such ;  but,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  he  is  the  Prince 
of  heaven  and  the  Sovereign  of  the  world.  But  (ii)  he  is  a  Saviour. 
His  power  as  a  Prince  is  to  be  used,  not  for  revenge,  but  for  salva- 
tion. All  power  is  given  unto  him  that  he  may  grant  eternal  life. 
It  is  true  that  they  crucified  him,  but  God  has  overruled  their  crime 
to  make  him  to  be  an  almighty  Saviour  for  all  sinners,  for  his  very 
murderers  no  less  than  all  others.  This  is  a  gracious  preaching, 
(iii)  The  method  of  salvation  is  twofold:  («)  "To  give  repentance." 
That  is,  to  make  a  place  or  room  for  repentance.  God  does  not  give 
repentance  as  he  does  forgiveness,  but  he  commands  all  men  every- 
where to  repent.  Yet  how  can  a  man  repent,  and  what  good  is  there 
in  repentance  under  the  law?  The  law  knows  no  mercy  and  makes 
repentance  of  none  avail ;  but  Jesus,  by  dying  and  making  atone- 


THE   COUNSEL   OF   GAMALIEL.  260 

ment,  has  made  room  for  repentance.  It  is  now  possible  for  a  man 
to  repent  with  hope.  (6)  Then  God  has  declared  through  Jesus  the 
" forgiveness  of  sins."  This  is  not  a  chance  statement,  but  it  is  the 
cardinal  doctrine  of  the  Gospel.  Paul  took  up  this  note  and  pub- 
lished it  with  great  joy.  "  Be  it  known  unto  you,  therefore,  that 
through  this  man  (Jesus)  is  preached  unto  you  the  forgiveness  of 
sins."  (xiii,  38.)  Thus  Peter  before  the  Sanhedrin,  who  sought  his 
life,  declared  to  them  the  Gospel,  opened  the  door  for  them  to  enter 
by  repentance,  and  proclaimed  to  them  the  forgiveness  of  sins. 

3. — Concerning  their  work. — God  had  appointed  them  to  be 
witnesses  of  these  things.  They  could  not  therefore  cease  teaching 
and  preaching  to  the  people,  and  of  this  fact  the  council  might  take 
final  notice.  Moreover,  God  had  not  left  them  alone  as  to  their  tes- 
timony, for  Peter  adds,  "So  also  is  the  Holy  Ghost."  The  Mighty 
God,  the  Holy  Spirit,  was  both  with  them  and  in  them ;  he  showed 
this  by  his  descent  upon  them,  by  his  strength  given  unto  them  in 
wisdom,  understanding,  courage,  and  tender  love,  in  boldness  and 
clearness  of  utterance.  Such  is  ever  the  witness  of  the  Spirit.  The 
Gospel  is  not  preached  without  the  Holy  Ghost  being  sent  down 
from  heaven.  Moreover,  Peter  utters  a  truth  which  we  should 
eagerly  seize  upon  for  ourselves.  This  partnership  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  for  "all  them  that  obey  him."  The  same  power  that  made 
these  apostles  invincible  is  at  our  disposal  if  we  will  manifest  the 
same  obedience.  When  we  adopt  and  act  on  the  principle  that  "We 
must  obey  God  rather  than  men,"  then  the  Holy  Ghost  will  witness 
with  us  to  the  resurrection  of  Jesus. 

4. — The  effect  of  the  address. — The  members  of  the  council, 
instead  of  entering  through  the  open  door  of  repentance,  which 
Peter  set  before  them,  and  accepting  the  forgiveness  of  sins  from 
the  exalted  Prince  and  Saviour,  were  cut  to  the  heart,  and  took 
counsel  to  slay  the  apostles.  When  men  are  determined  to  fight 
against  God  and  Christ,  then  the  Gospel,  which  pricks  the  heart  of 
the  willing  and  penitent  sinner  and  leads  him  to  everlasting  life, 
cuts  the  heart  of  the  impenitent,  and  in  fighting  drives  him  to  deeper 
and  more  desperate  sins.  The  Gospel  never  fails  in  effect ;  it  is  life 
or  death  to  souls  accordingly  as  they  receive  or  reject  it. 

HI.— THE   COUNSEL   OF  GAMALIEL. 

There  was  one  man  in  the  council  who  dissented  from  the  voice 
of  the  majority,  and  set  before  them  the  wisdom  of  their  course. 
He  suggested  and  urged  upon  them  moderation  and  prudence,  say- 


270         THE  APOSTLES  PERSECUTED. 

ing  to  them,  "  Take  heed  to  yourselves  what  ye  intend  to  do  touching 
these  men."  He  saw  the  force  of  the  prisoners'  statements  and  rec- 
ognized the  tremendous  facts  which  supported  them.  He  does  not 
commit  himself  to  the  cause  of  Christ,  but  he  will  not  for  himself, 
nor  does  he  wish  his  brethren  to  commit  themselves  against  the 
Christ  as  at  present  set  before  them.  His  principle  that,  "  if  the 
work  be  of  men  it  will  come  to  naught,  but  if  it  be  of  God,  ye  cannot 
overthrow  it,"  is  not  absolutely  true,  at  least  in  the  narrow  range  of 
human  history,  for  sometimes  the  work  of  God  seems  at  least  to  have 
been  overthrown,  as  in  the  case  of  the  churches  in  Asia ;  while  that 
which  is  not  of  God,  such  as  Mohammedanism,  seems  to  stand. 
However,  in  the  long  run,  Gamaliel  was  right.  Certainly  the  doc- 
trine of  tolerance  in  all  matters  of  religion,  at  least  the  doctrine  of 
abstention  from  force,  is  the  right  one,  and  we  have  no  doubt,  if  per- 
fect tolerance  were  practiced  the  world  over,  the  cause  of  Christ 
would  speedily  triumph.  This,  at  any  rate,  is  without  doubt  true, 
that  it  is  a  dreadful  thing  to  "be  found  fighting  against  God." 
Many  have  been  so  found,  and  have  perished  miserably.  Let  the 
words  of  Saul,  the  king  of  Israel,  be  remembered :  "  Behold  I  have 
played  the  fool  and  have  erred  exceedingly."  He  had  been  fighting 
against  God  and  his  anointed  king,  David.  Now  he  saw  it,  and  con- 
fessed his  folly.  Gamaliel's  advice  was  that  they  should  avoid  fall- 
ing into  a  like  fatal  error.  Is  it  not  good  advice  for  certain  unbe- 
lievers of  our  day?  We  recommend  it  to  them.  They  formally 
agreed  to  his  advice,  in  that  they  refrained  from  taking  action  with 
a  view  toward  their  death,  but  in  discharging  them  from  custody, 
they  could  not  surrender  their  malice,  and  so  had  them  beaten,  and 
reiterated  their  command  that  they  should  not  preach  in  the  name 
of  Jesus.  Vain  command !  How  many  thousand  times  it  has  been 
reiterated  by  the  kings  of  the  earth  and  the  rulers  of  this  world ! 

IV.— THE  JOY  OF  THE   APOSTLES. 

Being  let  go,  they  departed  from  the  presence  of  the  council  re- 
joicing, not  that  their  lives  had  been  spared,  not  that  they  were  set 
at  liberty,  but  that  they  had  been  counted  worthy  to  suffer  shame 
for  his  name.  They  probably  remembered  the  words  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  spoken  to  them  early  in  his  ministry :  "  Rejoice  and  be  ex- 
ceeding glad,  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven ;  for  so  persecuted 
they  the  prophets  which  were  before  you."  In  later  days  the  great 
apostle  to  the  Gentiles  rejoiced  in  like  manner :  "  Therefore  I  take 
pleasure  in  infirmities,  in  necessities,  in  reproaches,  in  persecutions, 


THE   JOY   OF   THE   APOSTLES.  271 

in  distresses,  for  Christ's  sake  :  for  when  I  am  weak  then  am  I 
strong."  (H.  Cor.  xii,  10.)  Like  Moses,  they  "esteemed  the  re- 
proach of  Christ  greater  riches  than  the  treasures  in  Egypt "  (Heb. 
xi,  26),  and  gladly  went  out  bearing  their  reproach.  We  have  fallen 
on  softer  times.  We  rejoice  in  the  magnificence  of  our  churches, 
in  the  applause  of  the  people,  in  the  bounty  of  our  salaries,  in  the 
comfort  of  our  houses,  in  the  high  place  accorded  to  us  by  society, 
and  in  all  manner  of  good  things.  Perhaps,  if  we  had  to  learn  to 
sing  hymns  in  the  prison,  with  our  feet  fast  in  the  stocks,  and  our 
backs  still  bleeding  from  the  lash,  we  should  be  better  preachers 
and  give  a  more  powerful  testimony  to  the  resurrection. 


August  28,  1893. 


XXXV. 

THE    FIRST    CHRISTIAN    MARTYR.— Acts  vii,  S4-60 ; 
viii,   1-4. 

(54)  When  they  heard  these  things,  they  were  cut  to  the  heart,  and  they  gnashed 
on  him  with  their  teeth.  (55)  But  he,  being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  looked  up  stead- 
fastly into  heaven,  and  saw  the  glory  of  God,  and  Jesus  standing  on  the  right  hand 
of  God,  (56)  And  said,  Behold,  I  see  the  heavens  opened,  and  the  Son  of  man  stand- 
ing on  the  right  hand  of  God.  (57)  Then  they  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  and 
stopped  their  ears,  and  ran  upon  him  with  one  accord,  (58)  And  cast  him  out  of  the 
city,  and  stoned  him:  and  the  witnesses  laid  down  their  clothes  at  a  young  man's 
feet,  whose  name  was  Saul.  (59)  And  they  stoned  Stephen,  calling  upon  God,  and 
saying,  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit.  (60)  And  he  kneeled  down,  and  cried  with  a 
loud  voice,  Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their  charge.  And  when  he  had  said  this,  he  fell 
asleep.  (1)  And  Saul  was  consenting  unto  his  death.  And  at  that  time  there  was  a 
great  persecution  against  the  church  which  was  at  Jerusalem;  and  they  were  all  scat- 
tered abroad  throughout  the  regions  of  Judea  and  Samaria,  except  the  apostles.  (2) 
And  devout  men  carried  Stephen  to  his  burial,  and  made  great  lamentation  over  him. 
(3)  As  for  Saul,  he  made  havoc  of  the  church,  entering  into  every  house,  and  haling 
men  and  women  committed  them  to  prison.  (4)  Therefore  they  that  were  scattered 
abroad  went  every  where  preaching  the  word.— Acts  vii,  54-60;  viii,  1-4 

The  Church,  of  Jesus,  or,  more  properly,  the  number  of  disciples, 
had  grown  to  a  great  multitude  in  Jerusalem.  Every  effort  of  the 
High  Priest  and  his  party  to  suppress  the  new  community  seemed 
only  to  add  stimulus  to  the  disciples  and  zeal  to  the  apostles.  The 
preaching,  and  teaching  and  testifying,  went  steadily  on.  A  small 
cloud  from  within  arose  by  reason  of  some  dissatisfaction  in  connec- 
tion with  the  distribution  of  the  common  funds  to  the  poor  widows. 
This  matter  was  quickly  and  wisely  settled  by  the  election  of  seven 
deacons,  whose  duty  it  would  be  to  look  after  this  matter  and  relieve 
the  apostles.  Among  these  men  was  a  young  Hellenist  Jew,  Stephen 
by  name,  who  suddenly  developed  into  a  mighty  preacher,  being  full 
of  faith  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  endowed  besides  with  the  most  extraor- 
dinary natural  gifts  and  having  a  perfect  mastery  of  the  Scriptures. 
Some  of  the  foreign  Jews,  recognizing  in  Stephen  a  man  of  parts, 
and  seeing  what  power  was  given  him  both  in  speech  and  in  work- 
ing miracles,  could  not  refrain  from  the  attempt  to  argue  him  down  ; 
but  "they  were  not  able  to  resist  the  wisdom  and  the  spirit  by  which 

272 


THE   DEATH   OF   STEPHEN.  273 

he  spake."  They  therefore  resorted  to  the  old  tactics  used  against 
Jesus ;  stirring  up  the  people,  the  elders,  and  the  scribes,  they  col- 
lected a  mob,  arrested  him,  and  carried  him  before  the  council, 
where,  with  false  and  suborned  witnesses,  they  charged  him  with 
blasphemy  in  connection  with  the  temple,  as  Jesus,  too,  had  been 
accused  by  his  enemies.  Astonishing  powers  belonged  to  and  were 
given  to  this  young  deacon.  The  Joy  of  the  Lord  was  so  in  his 
heart,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  so  abundantly  present  with  him,  that,  as 
he  sat  before  the  council,  his  face  shone  as  it  had  been  the  face  of 
an  angel.  In  answer  to  the  High  Priest's  question  as  to  whether  the 
things  testified  against  him  were  true,  he  delivered  an  address,  the 
equal  of  which  is  not  recorded  in  the  Scriptures.  He  revived  the 
whole  history  of  Israel  from  the  days  of  Abraham  to  the  crucifixion 
of  Jesus,  and  showed  clearly  that,  in  every  age  and  every  dispensa- 
tion, the  Jews  had  been  an  unbelieving  and  rebellious  people.  The 
closing  sentence  of  his  speech  aroused  them  to  a  perfect  pitch  of 
frenzy:  "Ye  stiff-necked  and  uncircumcised  in  heart  and  ears,  ye 
do  always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost ;  as  your  fathers  did,  so  do  ye. 
Which  of  the  prophets  have  not  your  fathers  persecuted?  and  they 
have  slain  them,  which  have  showed  before  of  the  coming  of  the  Just 
One,  of  whom  ye  have  now  become  the  betrayers  and  murderers ; 
who  have  received  the  law  by  the  dispensation  of  angels,  and  have 
not  kept  it."  Here  is  bold  and  fearless  preaching.  It  is  not  a 
marvel  that  men  who  were  not  ready  to  yield  to  the  conviction, 
which  must  have  been  wrought  by  such  a  resistless  tide  of  fact  and 
truth,  by  such  a  pitiless  summing  up  of  the  case  against  them, 
turned  murderers  in  their  hearts,  and  crimsoned  their  hands  with 
the  blood  of  this  fearless  young  prosecutor.  The  controversy  be- 
tween the  Church  and  the  Jewish  authorities  had  now  reached  a 
crisis.  A  new  era  was  about  to  dawn  ;  again  the  Church  was  to  be 
victorious ;  again  the  Gospel  was  to  be  sent  forward  on  its  career 
with  a  bound,  sanctified  by  the  blood  of  the  first  martyr. 

I.— THE   DEATH   OF   STEPHEN. 

The  effect  of  the  address  of  Stephen  upon  the  council,  and  upon 
his  enemies,  who  had  come  near  to  accuse  him  and  witness  his  con- 
demnation, was  what  might  have  been  anticipated.  "When  they 
heard  these  things,  they  were  cut  to  the  heart  and  gnashed  on  him 
with  their  teeth."  The  literal  rendering  is  "their  hearts  were  sawn 
asunder."  And  no  wonder.  They  were  compelled  to  look  at  such  a 
picture  of  themselves  as  had  never  before  been  presented  to  their 


274  THE  FIRST   CHRISTIAN  MARTYR. 

gaze ;  they  were  smarting  under  a  lash  such  as  had  never  before 
been  laid  upon  them.  Peter's  arraignment,  too,  had  been  sharp  and 
severe;  his  words  also  had  "cut  them  to  the  heart."  (v.  33.)  But 
the  little  finger  of  Stephen  was  greater  than  the  loins  of  Peter  in  this 
respect.  For  a  moment  they  were  paralyzed  as  to  action,  except 
that  they  "gnashed  their  teeth,"  grinding  them  together  with  rage. 
The  audacity  of  Stephen;  the  maddening  testimony  he  brought 
against  them ;  the  apparently  irresistible  power  that  was  carrying 
this  new  community  along ;  the  angelic  face  that  was  confronting 
them,  all  appalled  and  at  the  same  time  enraged  them.  But  more 
was  to  come.  The  pent-up  waters  of  their  wrath  were  all  to  be  let 
loose  by  a  further  statement  of  the  audacious  young  deacon. 

1. — The  vision  of  Stephen. — While  the  priests  and  the  rest  of  the 
Jews  were  dumb  for  very  amazement,  and  silent  with  rage,  Stephen, 
"being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  looked  steadfastly  up  into  heaven,  and 
saw  the  Glory  of  God,  and  Jesus  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God." 
We  need  not  limit  ourselves  to  the  understanding  that  this  was  a 
purely  subjective  vision.  We  are  told  that  he  looked  steadfastly  into 
heaven.  To  understand  that  this  was  a  real  sight,  we  have  but  to 
recall  the  fact  that  Ezekiel  was  permitted,  in  like  manner,  to  see 
through  the  opened  heavens  his  visions  of  God ;  even  as  John,  on 
Patmos,  saw  into  heaven  as  through  an  open  door ;  Paul,  too,  being 
caught  up  into  the  third  heaven,  whether  in  the  body  or  out  of  the 
body  he  did  not  know,  saw  things  which  it  was  not  possible  to  de- 
scribe. (Ez.  i,  1;  Rev.  iv,  1;  II.  Cor.  xii,  1-4.)  This  sight  was  not, 
indeed,  vouchsafed  to  those  standing  by ;  even  as  when  afterward 
Saul  was  converted  and  saw  Jesus,  those  who  stood  by  did  not  share 
the  vision.  (Acts  ix,  3,  4,  7.)  Before  speaking  more  particularly  of 
what  Stephen  saw,  we  cannot  refrain  from  remarking,  that  the  many 
testimonies  in  the  Scripture  to  events  of  this  kind  give  us  assurance 
that  the  heavenly  world  is  much  nearer  to  this  of  ours  than  popular 
conception  testifies.  Heaven  is  not  so  very  far  away.  Out  of  it,  and 
down  to  the  earth,  have  come  many  times  angels  of  the  Lord ;  out  of 
it,  and  within  the  hearing  of  men,  has  come  again  and  again  the 
voice  of  God ;  into  it  these  favored  servants  of  God  have  been  per- 
mitted to  see ;  and  into  it  Enoch,  Elijah,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  have 
gone  as  through  a  curtain  of  cloud  and  blue  azure.  Could  we  but 
apprehend  this,  it  would  make  some  difference  in  our  earthly  walk 
and  conversation.  It  is  true,  there  is  left  to  us  the  power  of  faith, 
by  which  we  can  "  see  him  who  is  invisible  "  ;  and  it  is  also  true  that 
those  who  walk  in  the  Spirit  are  always  seeing  real  things,  which 
others  cannot  see.     With  opened  eyes,  they  see  wonderful  things 


THE   DEATH   OF    STEPHEN.  275 

out  of  God's  law  (Ps.  cxix,  18),  they  see  the  kingdom  of  God  (John 
iii,  3),  and  the  pure  in  heart  even  see  God  himself.  (Matt,  v,  8.) 
To  some  this  may  not  seem  so  satisfactory  as  an  open  vision ;  but 
Jesus  has  told  us  that  it  is  even  more  blessed  to  have  this  vision  of 
faith  than  to  have  seen  these  things  with  our  eyes.  (John  xx,  29.) 
It  is  doubtful  if  we  could  bear  to  have  the  open  vision,  and  more 
doubtful  still  if  such  a  vision  would  as  much  tend  to  strengthen  us 
as  the  "good  fight  of  faith."  Coming  now  to  what  Stephen  saw, 
we  notice  three  things:  (i)  "Heaven  opened."  This  is  a  most 
blessed  vision.  Alas  for  us  if  it  were  shut !  By  and  by  it  will  be 
shut,  and  those  who  come  when  once  the  door  is  shut,  will  have  to 
go  away  wailing  in  their  sin  over  the  loss  of  their  souls.  Jesus 
Christ  has  opened  the  gates  of  heaven  for  us.  He  opened  it  for 
himself  to  come  down  to  this  world,  to  seek  and  find  us ;  then  he 
opened  it  for  us  when  he  went  back  again,  having  obtained  our  eter- 
nal redemption,  and  he  now  holds  it  open  for  all  penitent  believing 
sinners,  (ii)  He  "saw  the  glory  of  God."  The  detail  of  this  sight 
is  not  clear,  but  it  was  some  refulgent  glory  which  veiled  from  even 
his  sight  any  appearance  of  God.  It  must  have  been  like  the  glory 
of  God  which  filled  the  temple  in  the  days  of  Solomon,  and  which, 
withdrawing  from  the  temple  and  the  Holy  City,  went  up  into 
heaven  (Ez.  x,  4,  19 ;  xi,  23) ;  probably  identical  with  the  old  Shek- 
inah,  which  always  signified  the  presence  of  God.  (iii)  He  saw 
"Jesus  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God."  Jesus  had  told  the 
Jews  that,  after  they  had  killed  him,  he  would  ascend  to  the  right 
hand  of  power,  as  being  the  Son  of  the  Blessed ;  and  Mark  tells  us 
that  when  he  ascended,  "he  was  received  up  into  heaven,  and  sat 
on  the  right  hand  of  God."  (Mark  xiv,  61,  62  ;  xvi,  19.)  Peter  had 
again  and  again  testified  to  the  fact  of  the  resurrection,  and  that 
God  had  highly  exalted  Jesus,  and  made  him  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour. 
Stephen  now  sees  this  himself.  He  was  not  an  eye-witness  to  the 
resurrection,  but  now  he  became  an  eye-witness  of  the  exaltation  to 
the  right  hand  of  God.  God  did  not  interpose  to  save  Stephen  from 
the  cruel  death  that  awaited  him  down  here  on  the  earth,  but  gave 
him  instead  a  vision  of  the  glory  that  awaited  him  in  that  near 
heavenly  world  which  far  more  than  compensated  him  for  the  pain 
of  martyrdom,  or  for  the  loss  sustained  in  this  world  by  being  so 
early  cut  off  from  work  and  usefulness.  If  only  we  could  keep  in 
mind  that  God  has  two  worlds,  whereof  he  has  made  us  citizens 
through  Jesus  Christ,  we  should  not  make  such  one-sided  interpreta- 
tions of  his  providences  down  here ;  and  many  of  the  things  we  so 
bitterly  complain  of  would  to  us,  if  only  we  could  see  through  the 


276  THE   FIRST   CHRISTIAN   MARTYR. 

opened  heavens,  be  matters  of  unspeakable  joy  to  our  souls.  God 
does  not,  indeed,  give  us  to  see  how  he  is  managing  all  things  for  us  ; 
but  he  has  assured  us  in  his  word,  that  "  all  things  work  together  for 
good  to  them  that  love  God"  (Rom.  viii,  28),  and  that  should  be 
sufficient  for  us. '  Ordinarily  Jesus  is  represented  as  sitting  down  at 
the  right  hand  of  God,  sitting  being  the  normal  position  of  him  who 
had  finished  the  work  of  redemption,  and  was  now  at  rest.  (Ps.  ex, 
1;  Mark  xvi,  19;  Heb.  x,  12;  Rev.  iii,  21;  Col.  iii,  1.)  But  now 
Stephen  sees  him  standing  up,  as  though  he  had  risen  in  sympathy 
with  his  servant,  to  watch  over  him  in  this  hour.  The  rest  of  Jesus 
from  his  redemptive  work  does  not  hinder  him  from  being  active  in 
the  administration  of  his  grace  and  help  in  our  every  time  of  need. 
What  comfortable  lessons  we  have  from  this  vision  of  Stephen  ! 
Let  us  take  them,  for  they  were  given  for  our  comfort  as  well  as  for 
his.  No  Scripture  is  for  private  appropriation ;  and  we  are  partners 
in  the  grace  of  all  saints. 

2. — The  testimony  of  Stephen. — Stephen  was  not  content  to  see 
this  vision  for  himself.  He  would  give  his  testimony  concerning  it. 
The  great  matter  of  controversy  between  the  Jews  and  the  apostles 
was  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  from  the  dead.  They  who  were  eye- 
witnesses of  that  fact,  persistently  testified  that  "God  had  raised 
him  up."  Now  comes  Stephen,  who  was  not  an  eye-witness  of  the 
resurrection ;  taking  up  the  testimony  of  God  against  the  Jews  for 
murdering  the  Messiah,  he  affirms  with  equal  persistency  that  God 
has  exalted  him.  In  confirmation  of  his  testimony  God  gives  him 
this  vision,  and  now  he  speaks  to  the  Jews  as  an  eye-witness,  and 
magnifies  his  opportunity.  He  says  boldly,  "I  see  the  heavens 
opened  and  the  Son  of  Man  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God." 
Nothing  could  have  been  more  bitter  to  the  ears  of  these  Jews,  who 
had  condemned  Jesus  as  a  blasphemer,  and  had  him  crucified  as  such. 
The  apostles  had  testified  that  God  had  raised  him  from  the  dead, 
and  had  filled  all  Jerusalem  with  the  testimony  and  doctrine  resting 
on  the  fact  of  his  death  and  resurrection ;  in  vain  the  Jews  had  tried 
to  prevent  this  testimony  from  speading ;  and  now  comes  another, 
and  in  their  very  presence,  with  a  face  shining  as  with  the  glory  of 
heaven,  like  Moses  long  before,  testifies  that  he  sees  the  Son  of  Man, 
the  name  by  which  Jesus  loved  most  to  speak  of  himself,  standing 
on  the  right  hand  of  God.  "Whereunto  would  this  thing  grow?" 
What  was  to  be  done?  If  Jesus  was  standing  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  then  it  was  clear  that  this  Son  of  Man,  whom  these  Jews  had 
hung  on  the  tree,  was  verily  none  other  than  the  Son  of  God. 

3. — The  stifled  conviction. — What  was  the  Council  to  do?    How 


THE   DEATH   OF   STEPHEN.  277 

could  they  answer?  They  could  not  resist  the  wisdom  of  Stephen. 
They  could  not  deny  the  historical  facts  arrayed  before  them.  They 
could  not  deny  the  Scriptures  quoted.  They  could  not  deny  that 
they  had  betrayed  and  crucified  the  Holy  One  and  the  Just.  They 
could  not  confute  the  testimony  of  the  apostles  as  to  his  resurrection 
from  the  dead.  They  could  not  deny  the  fact  that  multitudes  in 
Jerusalem,  now  numbering  probably  twenty  or  thirty  thousand  souls, 
had  accepted  the  testimony  as  true.  Nor  could  they  deny  the  vision 
of  Stephen  while  his  own  shining  face  bore  a  visible  testimony  to  its 
reality.  What  were  they  to  do  ?  They  had  determined  they  would 
not  repent.  They  were  resisting  the  Holy  Ghost.  So  they  "  cried 
with  a  loud  voice,  and  stopped  their  ears,  and  ran  on  him  with  one 
accord."  Stifled  conviction  can  do  nothing  but  stop  its  ears  and 
rush  on  to  deeper  and  greater  sin.  The  testimony  of  Stephen  "let 
loose  the  tide  of  rage  which  awe  had  for  a  moment  frozen,  and  with 
illegal  tumult,  councilors  and  by-standers  turned,  through  sheer  pas- 
sion, into  a  mob,  swept  him  from  the  chamber  with  a  rush,  and  hur- 
ried him  for  execution  beyond  the  northern  city  gate."  The  crisis 
had  come.  The  crucial  fact  in  controversy  was  the  resurrection  of 
Jesus  from  the  dead.  They  would  have  refuted  it  if  they  could,  but 
they  could  not,  and  so  there  was  nothing  for  them  to  do  but  to  sur- 
render in  penitence  to  Jesus,  or  rush  madly  and  blindly  on  to  the 
doom  of  them  that  "do  always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost." 

4. — The  death  of  Stephen. — Once  more  the  Jewish  Sanhedrin 
commits  itself  to  murder.  Jesus  they  crucified  outside  the  city ;  now 
they  stone  Stephen,  too,  outside  the  gate.  We  will  not  dwell  on  the 
fact  of  the  stoning,  but  rather  on  the  beautiful  and  touching  spirit 
in  which  Stephen  met  his  death,  (i)  Calling  on  God.  The  peti- 
tion he  made  was  twofold, — one  for  himself  and  one  for  his  murder- 
ers. For  himself  he  cried,  "Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit."  Jesus 
had  committed  his  spirit  into  the  hands  of  his  Father  when  he  was 
dying  (Luke  xxiii,  46),  and  now  Stephen  commits  his  spirit  into  the 
hands  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Blessed  assurance  and  privilege,  to  be 
able  so  to  commit  our  spirits,  and  to  know  that  the  charge  will  not 
be  declined.  His  other  prayer  was  for  his  murderers.  Who  but  a 
soul  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  with  the  love  and  spirit  of  Jesus 
Christ  himself,  could  make  such  a  prayer  as  this?  Socrates  died 
without  fear  or  bitterness,  but  not  with  a  prayer  on  his  lips  for  his 
murderers.  In  this,  also,  Stephen  imitated  his  Lord,  who,  on  the 
cross,  prayed  for  his  enemies,  (ii)  "And  when  he  had  said  this  he 
fell  asleep."  There  seems  to  have  been  no  conscious  pain  in  his 
death.     His  exalted  spirit  triumphed  over  the  weakness  of  the  body ; 


278  THE   FIRST   CHRISTIAN   MARTYR. 

the  vision  of  glory  which  he  had  seen,  the  expectation  of  being 
speedily  with  his  Lord,  left  no  place  in  his  soul  for  consciousness  of 
pain. 

"  He  fell  asleep  in  Christ  his  Lord  ;  he  gave  to  him  to  keep 
The  soul  his  great  love  had  redeemed,  then  calmly  went  to  sleep. 
And  as  a  tired  bird  folds  its  wings  sure  of  the  morning  light, 
He  laid  him  down  in  trusting  faith  and  dreaded  not  the  night." 

II.— PERSECUTION  AND  DISPERSION   OF  BELIEVERS. 

The  Church  has  now  entered  upon  a  new  era.  A  furious  perse- 
cution broke  out  against  the  Church,  which  resulted  in  its  dispersion 
from  Jerusalem,  except  the  apostles,  who  stayed  and  braved  the 
storm,  holding  the  ground  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  and  the  resur- 
rection. That  point  must  not  be  given  up  in  Jerusalem.  In  the 
story,  there  are  four  particulars  which  we  may  but  briefly  notice. 

1. — The  persecution  of  the  disciples. — Jesus  had  warned  his 
disciples  of  this.  The  persecution  which  now  broke  out  was  under 
the  leadership  of  the  young  Pharisee  Saul,  who  is  thrice  mentioned 
in  this  narrative.  First,  as  standing  by  while  the  witnesses  stoned 
Stephen,  and  suffering  them  to  deposit  their  clothes  at  his  feet ;  sec- 
ond, as  giving  his  consent  to  his  death ;  and,  finally,  making  havoc 
of  the  Church,  when  he  entered  into  every  house,  and  hailing  men 
and  women,  committed  them  to  prison.  He  inaugurated  the  first  St. 
Bartholomew's  day  in  the  Church. 

2. — The  scattering  of  the  Church. — The  very  thing  which  the 
persecutors  sought  to  accomplish  by  their  persecution,  was  the  thing 
wherein  they  utterly  failed;  in  that  the  very  thing  which  they 
wished  to  prevent  they  brought  to  pass.  The  persecution,  instead 
of  stamping  out  the  Gospel,  scattered  it  abroad.  Stephen's  death 
stopped  his  preaching  in  Jerusalem,  but  it  was  the  means  of  multi- 
plying preachers  a  thousand-fold.  How  little  the  persecutors  imag- 
ined what  would  be  the  effect  of  their  persecution !  Perhaps  they 
thought  that  the  prompt  stoning  of  Stephen  would  silence  the  voice 
of  every  believer  in  Jerusalem.  We  are  sure  that  neither  Peter  nor 
John,  nor  the  other  apostles  who  remained  in  Jerusalem,  were  silent. 
We  know  that,  instead  of  silencing  the  preachers  of  the  word, 
Stephen's  death  awakened  a  multitude  of  new  voices,  and  sent  them 
broadcast  over  the  world.  Truly  the  word  of  God  is  not,  and  can- 
not, be  bound.  Again  the  echoes  of  the  second  psalm  come  to  our 
ears:  " Why  do  the  heathen  rage,  and  the  people  imagine  a  vain 
thing?"     The  kings  of  the  earth  themselves  and  the  rulers  take 


PERSECUTION   AND   DISPERSION   OF   BELIEVERS.    279 

counsel  together,  saying,  "Let  us  break  their  bands  asunder,  and 
cast  away  their  cords  from  us."  Instead  of  hindering  the  witnesses 
for  Jesus,  this  persecution  really  set  them  free,  and  started  the 
Church  on  its  grand  missionary  work.  Again  comes  the  sound  of 
laughter  from  heaven  :  "He  that  sitteth  in  the  heavens  shall  laugh. 
The  Lord  shall  have  them  in  derision." 

3. — Everywhere  preaching  the  word. — The  powerful  voice  of 
Stephen  is  hushed  in  death.  It  sank  into  a  sweet  prayer,  whispered 
with  his  last  breath,  for  his  murderers.  He  was  stoned  to  death  for 
preaching  the  word  of  life,  and  now  from  heaven  he  looks  down,  and 
sees  a  thousand  or  more  of  his  brethren  rushing  into  the  breach,  and 
a  thousand  voices  preaching  instead  of  his  one,  and  that  not  only  in 
Jerusalem,  but  everywhere.     How  wonderful  are  the  ways  of  God ! 


September  4,  1893. 


XXXVI. 

PHILIP    PREACHING    AT    SAMARIA.— Acts  viif,  5-25. 

(5)  Then  Philip  went  down  to  the  city  of  Samaria,  and  preached  Christ  nnto 
them.  (6)  And  the  people  with  one  accord  gave  heed  unto  those  things  which  Philip 
spake,  hearing  and  seeing  the  miracles  which  he  did.  (7)  For  unclean  spirits,  crying 
with  loud  voice,  came  out  of  many  that  were  possessed  with  them :  and  many  taken 
with  palsies,  and  that  were  lame,  were  healed.  (8)  And  there  was  great  joy  in  that 
city.  (9)  But  there  was  a  certain  man,  called  Simon,  which  beforetime  in  the  same 
city  used  sorcery,  and  bewitched  the  people  of  Samaria,  giving  out  that  himself  was 
some  great  one :  (10)  To  whom  they  all  gave  heed,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest, 
saying,  This  man  is  the  great  power  of  God.  (11)  And  to  him  they  had  regard,  be- 
cause that  of  long  time  he  bad  bewitched  them  with  sorceries.  (12)  But  when  they 
believed  Philip  preaching  the  things  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ,  they  were  baptized,  both  men  and  women.  (13)  Then  Simon  him- 
self believed  also  :  and  when  he  was  baptized,  he  continued  with  Philip,  and  won- 
dered, beholding  the  miracles  and  signs  which  were  done.  (14)  Now  when  the 
apostles  which  were  at  Jerusalem  heard  that  Samaria  had  received  the  word  of  God, 
they  sent  unto  them  Peter  and  John:  (15)  Who,  when  they  were  come  dowrn, 
prayed  for  them,  that  they  might  receive  the  Holy  Ghost :  (16)  (For  as  yet  he  was 
fallen  upon  none  of  them  :  only  they  were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ) 
(17)  Then  laid  they  their  hands  on  them,  and  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost.  (18) 
And  when  Simon  saw  that  through  laying  on  of  the  apostles'  bands  the  Holy  Ghost 
was  given,  he  offerei  them  money,  (19)  Saying,  Give  me  also  this  power,  that  on 
whomsoever  I  lay  hands,  he  may  receive  the  Holy  Ghost.  (20)  But  Peter  said  unto  him, 
Thy  money  perish  with  thee,  because  thou  hast  thought  that  the  gift  of  God  may  be 
purchased  with  money.  (21)  Thou  hast  neither  part  nor  lot  in  this  matter:  for  thy 
heart  is  not  right  in  the  sight  of  God.  (22)  Repent  therefore  of  this  thy  wickedness, 
and  pray  God.  if  perhaps  the  thought  of  thine  heart  may  be  forgiven  thee.  (23)  For 
I  perceive  that  thou  art  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity.  (24) 
Then  answered  Simon,  and  said,  Pray  ye  to  the  Lord  forme,  that  none  of  these 
things  which  ye  have  spoken  come  upon  me.  (25)  And  they,  when  they  had  testified 
and  preached  the  word  of  the  Lord,  returned  to  Jerusalem,  and  preached  the  gospel 
in  many  villages  of  the  Samaritans.— Acts  viii,  5-25. 

The  fury  of  persecution  was  still  at  its  height  in  Jerusalem,  but, 
like  the  wind  that  scatters  the  seed,  so  had  persecution  scattered 
abroad  the  word  of  God.  Among  the  scattered  disciples  was  Philip, 
one  of  the  seven  deacons.  Stephen  had  fallen,  but  his  place  was 
promptly  taken  by  one  of  his  brother  deacons,  who  went  forward 
and  immediately  filled  the  gap.  This  was  good  militant  form ;  the 
ranks  were  broken  but  for   a  moment;  they   were   not  breached. 

280 


PREACHING   CHRIST   IN   SAMARIA.  281 

These  deacons  were  chosen  to  administer  the  money  of  the  common 
fund  to  the  poor  of  the  Church ;  but  the  Holy  Spirit  had  higher 
work,  at  least  for  some  of  them,  and  sent  them  to  administer  that 
which  was  of  more  worth  than  money  to  the  perishing  souls  about 
them.  Philip  was  one  of  the  distinguished  men  of  the  early  Church. 
He  was  a  great  preacher,  he  was  a  faithful  servant  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  his  mantle  fell  upon  his  children,  for  he  had  four  daugh- 
ters, virgins,  which  did  prophesy,  (xxi,  9. )  We  do  not  know  who 
took  the  places  of  Stephen  and  Philip  in  the  diaconate,  but  we  are 
certain  that  they  were  both  called  to  higher  service.  Would  God 
all  the  deacons  we  choose  might  be  called  to  do  such  work !  We 
might  easily  manage  the  temporal  if  the  spiritual  interests  of  the 
kingdom  could  be  pushed  forward  with  such  power  as  they  were  in 
the  hands  of  these  two  deacons.  Perhaps,  if  our  deacons  were  as 
well  chosen  as  those  first  seven  were,  there  might  now  and  again 
appear  among  them  a  Stephen  and  a  Philip. 

I.— PREACHING   CHRIST  IN   SAMARIA. 

Samaria  was  the  old  capital  of  the  ten-tribe  kingdom,  the  beauti- 
ful city  of  Ahab.  After  the  return  from  the  captivity,  it  had  fallen 
into  evil  repute  with  the  orthodox  Jews,  because  in  the  meantime  it 
had  been  peopled  by  a  mixed  race,  half  heathen  and  half  Jew.  They 
were  not  worshipers  of  idols,  but  of  Jehovah,  and  clung  to  the  law 
of  Moses  with  the  same  tenacity  as  did  the  Jews,  boasting  also  their 
descent  from  the  father  of  the  Jewish  people.  There  was,  however, 
bitter  jealousy  between  them  and  the  Jews,  and  the  Jews  refused 
to  have  any  dealings  with  them  on  any  account.  During  our  Lord's 
ministry,  he  had  occasion  once  to  pass  through  Samaria,  and  there 
he  spoke  with  one  of  the  poorest,  most  destitute,  and  needy  of  their 
people  (John  iv),  and  surprised  her  by  his  courtesy  and  lack  of 
sectarian  prejudice,  filling  her  with  joy  by  the  "gift  of  God,"  which 
was  indeed  "eternal  life  through  Jesus  Christ."  Out  of  this  mon- 
grel community  Christ  obtained  many  disciples.  When  our  Lord 
left  commission  to  his  disciples,  he  particularly  commanded  them  to 
bear  witness  of  him  in  Samaria  next,  after  having  preached  the  Gos- 
pel in  Jerusalem  (Acts  i,  8),  and  from  thence  to  proceed  to  the  ut- 
termost parts  of  the  earth.  Samaria  was  a  sort  of  bridge  over 
which  the  Gospel  was  to  pass  from  Jew  to  Gentile. 

1. — The  spiritual  condition  of  the  Samaritans. — The  nature  of 
the  miracles  and  the  presence  of  the  great  sorcerer  in  that  city  gives 
us  an  allegorical  insight  into  the  spiritual  condition  of  the  people. 


282  PHILIP   PREACHING   AT   SAMARIA. 

(i)  They  were  diseased.  Palsies  and  lameness,  and  no  doubt  all 
manner  of  diseases,  afflicted  the  people.  In  this  they  were  worse  off 
than  other  people  in  degree  alone,  not  in  kind.  Who  is  not  dis- 
eased? What  an  awful  disease  is  sin  !  It  renders  us  blind  in  soul, 
lame  in  our  walk,  palsied  in  all  our  actions ;  it  makes  us  to  shake 
with  uncertain  purpose  and  tremble  with  fear.  Certainly  the 
miracles  of  healing,  which  marked  the  ministry  of  Jesus  and  con- 
firmed that  of  the  apostles,  were  well  chosen  in  order  to  mirror  forth 
the  mightier  work  of  the  Spirit  upon  the  souls  of  men.  (ii)  They 
were  possessed  with  devils.  In  those  days  demons  took  possession 
of  men  and  led  them  about  at  their  will.  It  was  a  common  form  of 
evil.  Speculation  has  always  been  rife  as  to  what  exactly  was  the 
nature  of  this  "possession,"  and  as  to  whether  it  continued  after 
Christ's  ministry  on  earth  and  his  first  great  victory  over  the  demons. 
It  is  certain  that  many  are  still  "  taken  captive  of  the  devil  at  his 
will "  in  our  day,  whether  or  not  their  souls  are  the  actual  dwelling- 
places  of  the  demons.  If  anger,  wrath,  malice,  envy,  hypocrisy,  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh,  and  the  love  of  money  do  not  represent  so  many 
demons  possessing  the  soul,  they  are  at  least  passions  smoldering 
in  the  sinful  nature  which  the  Evil  Spirit  fans  into  flames  of  con- 
suming power,  and  uses  to  lead  men  down  to  destruction  and  per- 
dition, (iii)  Then  they  were  a  prey  to  the  sorceries  of  men  like  Si- 
mon Magus,  who  gave  himself  out  to  be  some  great  one  and  deceived 
many.  If  there  be  doubt  as  to  the  reality  of  demoniacal  possession 
in  our  day,  there  is  no  doubt  as  to  the  multitude  of  delusions  which 
possess  the  minds  of  men.  Philosophies,  falsely  so  called,  by  which 
men  professing  themselves  to  be  wise  become  fools ;  superstitions  of 
all  kinds ;  spiritualistic  and  theosophic.  So  easily  are  men  deluded 
and  deceived,  that  almost  any  clever  man  can  start  a  sect  of  religion 
and  draw  away  followers  after  him.  Men  and  women  who  find  it 
impossible,  and  for  them  unreasonable,  to  believe  in  Jesus  Christ, 
have  not  the  least  difficulty  in  taking  up  with  many  of  the  most  ab- 
surd and  extravagant  philosophical  theories  in  both  science  and  re- 
ligion. And  into  such  a  mass  as  this,  disturbed  and  unclean,  the 
Gospel  ever  precipitates  itself. 

2. — Preaching  Christ. — Philip  went  down  to  Samaria  and  began 
his  work.  The  name  of  Christ  was  not  unfamiliar  to  them,  for  as 
a  people  they  also  were  expecting  the  Messiah  to  come  (John  iv, 
25) ;  besides,  as  already  mentioned,  Jesus  himself  had  been  to  Sa- 
maria, and  a  great  many  of  the  men  of  the  city  had  accepted  him  as 
the  Messiah ;  but  now  Philip  preaches  him,  that  is,  sets  him  forth 
according  to  the  Scriptures  as  the  promised  one,  relates  to  them 


PREACHING   CHRIST   IN   SAMARIA.  283 

how  he  was  crucified  according  to  the  determinate  counsel  and  fore- 
knowledge of  God ;  how  he  was  raised  again ;  how  now  in  heaven, 
at  the  right  hand  of  God,  he  administers  the  grace  of  forgiveness  and 
life.  In  a  word,  Philip  repeats  the  same  great  truths  with  which 
Peter  and  Stephen  awakened  and  aroused  the  Jews.  He  had  the 
same  message  that  Saul,  after  his  conversion,  had  for  the  people  of 
Damascus,  to  whom  he  showed  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God.  (ix, 
20.)  He  did  not  seem  to  concern  himself  much  about  their  false 
doctrines  and  the  various  controversies  with  which  their  time  was 
much  taken  up.  He  seems  not  to  have  noticed  in  any  way  either 
the  presence  or  the  teaching  of  Simon ;  but  simply  contented  him- 
self with  preaching  Christ.  This  is  the  true  method.  "  I  am  deter- 
mined to  know  nothing  among  you  save  Jesus  Christ  and  him  cruci- 
fied," said  the  great  apostle,  many  years  after  this.  Even  he  had  to 
learn  this  lesson  after  suffering  some  humiliating  defeats  in  contro- 
versy with  the  heathen  over  natural  religion  and  vain  philosophies. 
Let  us  also  learn  to  adhere  to  this  simple  line  of  teaching  and  believ- 
ing. 

3. — The  effect  of  Philip's  preaching. — "And  the  people  with  one 
accord  gave  heed  to  those  things  which  Philip  spake."  This  is  the 
first  step  toward  conversion.  If  men  will  only  hear  and  then  give 
heed  to  the  things  of  the  Gospel,  "  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God 
and  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,"  it  will  not  be  long  before  they  "be- 
lieve the  preaching  "  and  submit  to  baptism,  "both  men  and  women." 
This  was  the  course  of  things  among  the  Samaritans.  The  word 
entered  into  their  hearts,  and  they  believed  and  were  baptized, 
gladly  declaring  by  that  act  that  they  received  not  only  the  word, 
but  Jesus  himself,  as  Saviour  and  Lord.  We  do  not  hear  that  auy 
of  them  raised  the  question  of  baptism,  as  to  whether  it  was  essen- 
tial to  salvation  or  not,  bat  at  once  and  naturally  submitted,  not  as 
a  hardship  or  a  cross,  but  as  a  privilege  and  a  joy,  thus  to  take  upon 
themselves  the  name  of  Jesus. 

4. — The  after-effect  of  the  preaching  and  believing. — "And 
there  was  great  joy  in  that  city."  Ah,  Samaria,  your  day  of  deg- 
radation is  past.  The  Jews  may  have  despised  you,  diseases  may 
have  wasted  you,  devils  may  have  possessed  you,  and  sorcerers  may 
have  bewitched  you  with  all  manner  of  delusions,  but  now  Jesus 
the  Christ  has  come  among  you  and  brought  to  you  the  good  news 
of  God's  love  and  mercy,  bestowing  upon  you  forgiveness  and  the 
gift  of  life. .  Well  might  there  be  joy  in  that  city.  Joy  is  one  of  the 
striking  characteristics  of  the  new  life  which  Jesus  came  into  the 
world  to  give.     At  his  birth  we  are  told  that  the  angels  declared, 


284  PHILIP   PREACHING   AT   SAMARIA. 

"  Behold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all 
people."  (Luke  ii,  10.)  When  Jesus  was  parted  from  his  disciples 
and  taken  up  into  heaven,  the  disciples  "  returned  to  Jerusalem  with 
great  joy."  (Luke  xxiv,  52.)  When  Peter  healed  the  lame  man  at 
the  temple  gate,  we  are  told  that  he  "  leaping  up,  stood  and  walked, 
and  entered  with  them  into  the  temple,  walking  and  leaping  and 
praising  God."  (iii,  8.)  The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  said  to  consist 
of  "righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost"  (Rom. 
xiv,  17) ;  and  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  and  peace.  (Gal. 
v,  22.)  Paul  closes  his  prayer  for  the  Romans  with  these  words: 
"Now  the  God  of  hope  fill  you  with  all  joy."  (Rom.  xv,  13.)  When 
David  was  recovered  from  his  backsliding  and  sin,  he  besought  the 
Lord  to  restore  unto  him  the  joy  of  his  salvation  "  (Ps.  Ii,  12),  as  if 
he  could  not  live  without  that  blessed  fruit  of  the  Spirit.  Joy  in  the 
individual  heart  and  in  the  Church  is  always  a  sign  of  the  presence 
of  the  Spirit.  I  have  noticed,  throughout  many  years  of  evangel- 
istic work,  that  wherever  there  is  a  great  and  glad  spirit  of  song, 
there  are  sure  to  be  many  conversions,  and  where  the  people  will  not 
or  do  not  sing  there  are  few  turned  from  darkness  to  light.  It  is  not 
the  singing  that  converts,  but  the  singing,  when  it  is  hearty  and  glad, 
marks  the  presence  of  the  Spirit.  Now,  in  Samaria  "there  was 
great  joy."  Joy  in  the  hearts  of  individual  believers,  joy  in  many 
families  whither  the  Gospel  had  come  with  saving  power,  and  joy 
in  the  whole  city  when  transformed  by  the  gladdening  presence  of 
Jesus. 

II.— THE   VISIT   OF   PETER  AND   JOHN. 

By  and  by  the  news  of  this  great  revival  in  Samaria  reached  the 
ears  of  the  apostles  and  brethren  at  Jerusalem.  They  at  once  took 
counsel  together,  and  decided  that  some  of  them  ought  to  go  down 
and  see  the  work,  giving  any  needed  help  in  the  way  of  encourage- 
ment or  further  instruction.  There  is  no  evidence  that  they  were 
moved  by  either  doubt  as  to  the  genuineness  of  the  work  or  by  apos- 
tolic envy,  as  has  been  suggested.  The  apostles  in  that  day  were 
the  natural  leaders  of  the  Church,  the  divinely  appointed  witnesses 
of  the  things  concerning  Jesus  and  the  resurrection.  Philip  had  not 
been  set  apart  to  preach,  and  the  whole  movement  was  new  and  un- 
expected.    Their  mission  was  one  of  inquiry  and  fellowship. 

1. — The  selection  of  Peter  and  John. — These  two  men  seemed  to 
be  the  leaders  of  the  apostolic  band.  Peter  in  particular  was  the  most 
prominent  as  a  preacher.  Through  his  word  the  first  great  in-gather- 
ing had  taken  place ;  he,  with  John,  had  been  the  first  to  suffer  for 


THE   VISIT   OF   PETER  AND   JOHN.  285 

Christ.  Yet  it  will  be  noted  that  there  was  no  divinely  ordered 
primacy ;  for  these  two  men  were  selected  by  their  brethren  to  go 
down  to  Samaria.  They  did  not  take  it  upon  themselves  to  go,  but 
were  sent.  Fancy  the  pope  (who  claims  to  be  Peter's  successor) 
thus  being  sent  down  to  a  neighboring  city,  to  look  into  the  work  of 
God,  and  to  bear  the  fraternal  greetings  of  the  brethren  at  Rome  to 
a  gathering  of  new  converts  ! 

2. — What  they  did  in  Samaria. — "  When  they  were  come  down 
(they)  prayed  for  them,  that  they  might  receive  the  Holy  Ghost." 
How  beautiful  this  is  !  They  did  not  begin  by  assuming  authority 
over  them,  or  putting  on  high  ecclesiastical  airs,  but  "prayed  for 
them."  This  is  a  true  mark  of  an  apostle.  It  is  like  the  Master 
himself,  who  "prayed  for  his  disciples,"  and  committed  them  to  God. 
Paul  prayed  for  the  Colossians ;  he  prayed  for  the  Ephesians ;  he 
ceased  not  to  pray  for  his  converts  day  and  night,  even  with  tears ; 
he  prayed  for  the  Romans  without  ceasing,  though  he  had  never  seen 
them ;  and,  moreover,  he  was  not  above  asking  the  brethren  to  pray 
for  him  and  the  other  brethren,  who,  with  him,  were  doing  mission- 
ary work  among  the  heathen.  In  this  case  there  was  conspicuous 
cause  for  prayer. 

3. — They  laid  their  hands  on  them, — After  which  they  received 
the  Holy  Ghost.  We  do  not  know  why  they  had  not  received  the 
Holy  Ghost  before.  The  Holy  Ghost  here  spoken  of  certainly  was 
that  special  and  peculiar  baptism  of  power  and  enthusiasm  which 
came  upon  the  Church  in  its  first  and  earlier  days.  We  are  not  to 
understand  that  these  Samaritan  disciples  had  not  been  regenerated, 
for  with  their  faith  came  also  the  regeneration  of  the  soul  (John  i, 
11,  12) ;  nor  that  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  was  not  with  them  and  in 
them,  for  they  were  full  of  joy.  They  had  not  received  that  special 
gift  which  was  to  set  them  on  fire  with  a  holy  zeal  for  God  and 
Christ,  and  for  the  souls  of  men.  Men  may  believe  to  the  saving  of 
their  souls,  and  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  yet 
not  receive  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  a  special  gift  of  power  for  service. 
To  be  saved  is  one  thing,  and  to  be  saved  and  baptized  with  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  another  thing.  There  is  as  much  difference  between 
the  two  conditions  as  there  is  between  a  grate  full  of  coals  and  that 
same  grate  with  those  same  coals  set  on  fire.  The  great  deficiency  in 
the  Church  to-day  is  that  we  are  not  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 
We  have  received  the  word  and  we  have  been  baptized  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus ;  we  are  saved,  and  our  doctrine  is  all  right ;  but 
it  is  not  on  fire  in  our  hearts,  and  we  therefore  have  no  power  over 
others.     Would  God  some  apostles  might  come  and  pray  for  us,  and 


286  PHILIP   PREACHING  AT   SAMARIA. 

lay  their  hands  on  us,  that  we  might  receive  the  Holy  Ghost !  But 
since  there  are  no  apostles  still  on  earth,  perhaps  if  we  should  get 
together  and  pray  for  ourselves  and  for  each  other,  waiting  on  God 
and  pleading  the  promise  that  is  "  for  you  and  for  your  children," 
the  Spirit  might  fall  on  us  as  on  the  disciples  at  the  beginning.  Is 
it  not  worth  seeking  after,  this  almost  lost  gift  in  the  Church? 

IIL— SIMON   AND  THE  APOSTLES. 

In  this  episode  of  Simon  among  the  believers  at  Samaria,  there 
is  but  another  illustration  of  the  presence  and  malicious  meddling 
of  Satan  in  the  work  of  God.  If  possible,  he  will  spoil  the  Church 
at  Samaria  with  a  Simon  Magus,  as  he  tried  to  spoil  the  Church  at 
Jerusalem  with  an  Ananias  and  a  Sapphira. 

1. — Simon  as  a  believer. — This  Simon  was  a  very  influential 
man  in  Samaria.  He  had  aforetime  bewitched  the  people  with  sor- 
cery, and  deceived  many.  When  he  saw  the  effect  of  Philip's  preach- 
ing and  noted  the  wonderful  miracles  which  he  wrought,  not  by  sor- 
cery, but  by  a  power  new  and  unknown  to  him,  he  was  greatly  im- 
pressed. He  did  not  seek  Christ  as  a  Saviour,  but  rather  joined 
himself  to  the  believers  as  a  matter  of  prudence  and  policy.  The 
tide  was  running  that  way,  and  if  he  was  to  keep  his  hold  on  the 
people  of  Samaria,  he  must  swim  with  this  new  current ;  so  he  also 
professed  himself  a  believer  and  joined  the  disciples.  Here  is 
another  case  of  tare-sowing.  Will  it  corrupt  the  Church,  or  will 
God  save  the  Church  again,  as  he  did  at  Jerusalem,  from  the  baleful 
influence  of  this  ambitious,  scheming  hypocrite?  We  shall  see. 
But,  in  the  meantime,  we  are  sure  that  many  a  Simon  has  since 
then  entered  the  Church  through  motives  similar  to  those  which 
moved  this  man.  Trade,  social  position,  the  popular  drift,  profes- 
sional advantage, — a  score  of  other  selfish  motives,  prompt  men  to 
identify  themselves  with  the  Church  when  it  is  in  a  position  of  favor 
and  influence. 

2. — The  cloven  foot, — "  And  when  Simon  saw  that,  through  the 
laying  on  of  the  apostles'  hands,  the  Holy  Ghost  was  given,  he  offered 
them  money.  What  for?  That  he  might  also  be  able  to  communi- 
cate this  great  power.  Here  was  the  cloven  foot.  He  did  not  pray 
that  he  might  himself  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  that  he 
might  be  empowered  to  use  and  control  the  gift.  His  idea  was  that 
anything  might  be  had  for  money.  This  was  his  own  master-pas- 
sion, and  he  supposed  that  he  might  even  buy  God  for  money.  At 
least  he  had  no  thought  but  that  the  apostles  might  be  bribed  into 


SIMON  AND   THE  APOSTLES.  287 

the  bestowal  of  this  great  gift  of  God  for  money.  Of  course  there 
■was  much  ignorance  here,  but  there  was  more  sordidness.  However, 
when  we  remember  that  even  Satan  thought  to  bribe  the  Son  of 
God  himself  into  recognition  of  him  by  the  gift  of  all  the  kingdoms 
of  the  world,  we  are  not  surprised  that  Simon  should  have  thought 
that  he  might  secure  any  benefit  or  advantage,  which  was  to  be  de- 
rived from  Christ,  for  money.  Money  is  the  god  and  power  of  this 
world ;  and  men  who  do  not  know  God  have  a  hard  time  to  learn 
that  it  is  nothing ;  that  as  for  any  real  or  lasting  power,  there  is  none 
in  it.     "Riches  profiteth  not  in  the  day  of  wrath." 

3. — The  incorruptible  apostles. — Peter  met  the  attempted  brib- 
ery with  indignation.  "  Thy  money  perish  with  thee,  because  thou 
hast  thought  that  the  gift  of  God  may  be  purchased  with  money." 
In  this  reply  there  was  more  than  indignation  ;  there  was  a  threat. 
As  money  would,  in  the  final  judgment  of  values  in  this  world,  per- 
ish, so  would  he  too  perish  who  had  attempted  to  use  it  in  bartering 
for  God's  gifts.  God's  gifts  are  not  for  sale,  and  he  who  would  come 
by  them  otherwise  than  as  God  has  offered  them,  will  perish.  Let 
all  hypocrites  take  warning.  Let  men  who  have  entered  the  Church, 
supposing  that  they  have  peculiar  rights  and  privileges  because  of 
their  money,  take  warning.  Let  churches  who  rely  upon  money 
instead  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  take  warning.  There  is  danger  ahead  for 
all  such. 

4. — The  faithful  minister. — Peter's  indignation  was  not  of  a  per- 
sonal nature.  The  insult  offered  to  him  he  readily  forgave.  His 
indignation  was  against  the  man  who  had  insulted  God.  Yet  there 
was  a  sense  of  pity  in  his  heart  for  this  wretched  man,  which  led 
him  to  say  other  things  to  him.  (i)  He  exposed  the  vanity  of  his 
pretended  faith.  Simon  had  numbered  himself  with  the  believers, 
but  he  had  neither  part  nor  lot  in  the  matter.  His  heart  was  not 
right  in  the  sight  of  God,  or  he  would  never  have  thought  of  making 
such  an  offer  as  this  to  Peter.  The  apostle  told  him  frankly  that  he 
was  yet  "in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity."  As 
Peter  had  been  gifted  to  see  the  hypocrisy  of  Ananias,  so  he  in- 
stantly detected  the  falsity  of  Simon's  profession.  Yet  no  super- 
natural gift  was  required  here.  "By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know 
them."  Here  was  fruit  which  showed  a  heart  yet  corrupt,  and  not 
right  with  God.  (ii)  Still,  he  would  have  even  this  wretched  sinner 
saved,  so  he  adds  a  word  of  encouragement.  "  Repent,  and  pray, 
if  perhaps  the  thought  of  thine  heart  may  be  forgiven  thee."  It  may 
be  that  Peter  saw  that  there  was  much  ignorance  mixed  with  this 
wickedness,  and  while  he  gave  no  space  for  Ananias  in  which  to  re- 


288  PHILIP  PREACHING  AT   SAMARIA 

pent,  he  did  in  this  case  hold  out  the  hope  of  repentance  and  for- 
giveness. While  there  is  life  there  is  hope.  Let  every  man  there- 
fore know,  however  wicked,  that  if  God  has  still  spared  life,  there  is 
room  for  repentance. 

5. — The  frightened  sorcerer. — There  was  that  about  the  manner 
and  the  startling  words  of  Peter  that  awakened  in  Simon's  heart,  if 
not  repentance,  at  least  terror.  He  besought  Peter  to  pray  for  him, 
that  none  of  the  dreadful  things  which  the  apostle  had  spoken  might 
come  upon  him.  He  was  still  impenitent,  and  only  desired  to  es- 
cape the  penalty  of  sin.  This  is  a  low  form  of  repentance  ;  it  may 
lead  up  higher,  but  if  it  remains  in  such  a  state  it  will  never  lead  to 
Christ.  Repentance  is  toward  God,  and  not  toward  punishment,  and 
is  always  followed  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  A  true  penitent  may  in- 
deed ask  another  to  pray  for  him,  but  he  will,  also,  as  did  the  publi- 
can, cry  out  to  God  on  his  own  behalf,  "Be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner." 

6. — The  return  to  Jerusalem. — The  apostles  were  greatly  cheered 
by  what  they  had  seen  in  Samaria.  After  finishing  their  mission 
there  they  returned  to  Jerusalem,  preaching  the  Gospel  in  many  of 
the  villages  and  towns  in  Samaria  on  their  way  back.  Thus  one 
good  work  leads  on  to  more  service.  If  Samaria  had  not  received 
the  word,  these  villages  would  never  have  had  the  benefit  of  the 
apostolic  preaching  which  thus  came  into  their  midst. 


September  11,  1892. 


XXXVII. 
PHILIP   AND   THE    EUNUCH.— Acts  viii,  26-40. 

(26)  And  the  angel  of  the  Lord  spake  unto  Philip,  saying,  Arise,  and  go  toward 
the  south,  unto  the  way  that  goeth  down  from  Jerusalem  unto  Gaza,  which  is  desert. 
(27)  And  he  arose  and  went:  and,  behold,  a  man  of  Ethiopia,  a  eunuch  of  great  au- 
thority under  Candace  queen  of  the  Ethiopians,  who  had  the  charge  of  all  her  treas- 
ure, and  had  come  to  Jerusalem  for  to  worship,  (28)  Was  returning,  and  sitting  in 
his  chariot  read  Esaias  the  prophet.  (29)  Then  the  Spirit  said  unto  Philip.  Go  near, 
and  join  thyself  to  this  chariot.  (30)  And  Philip  ran  thither  to  him,  and  heard  him 
read  the  prophet  Esaias,  and  said,  Understandest  thou  what  thou  readest  ?  (31)  And 
he  said,  How  can  I,  except  some  man  should  guide  me  ?  And  he  desired  Philip  that 
he  would  come  up  and  sit  with  him.  (32)  The  place  of  the  Scripture  which  he  read 
was  this,  He  was  led  as  a  sheep  to  the  slaughter  ;  and  like  a  lamb  dumb  before  his 
shearer,  so  opened  he  not  his  mouth  :  (33)  In  his  humiliation  his  judgment  was 
taken  away :  and  who  shall  declare  his  generation  ?  for  his  life  is  taken  from  the 
earth.  (34)  And  the  eunuch  answered  Philip,  and  said,  I  pray  thee,  of  whom  speak- 
eth  the  prophet  this  ?  of  himself,  or  of  some  other  man  ?  (33)  Then  Philip  opened 
his  mouth,  and  began  at  the  same  Scripture,  and  preached  unto  him  Jesus.  (36)  And 
as  they  went  on  their  way,  they  came  unto  a  certain  water :  and  the  eunuch  said, 
See,  here  is  water  ;  what  doth  hinder  me  to  be  baptized  ?  (37)  And  Philip  said,  If 
thou  believest  with  all  thine  heart,  thou  mayest.  And  he  answered  and  said,  I  be- 
lieve that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God.  (38)  And  he  commanded  the  chariot  to 
stand  still :  and  they  went  down  both  into  the  water,  both  Philip  and  the  eunuch  ; 
ani  he  baptized  him.  (39)  An.1  when  they  were  come  up  out  of  the  water,  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  caught  away  Philip,  that  the  eunuch  saw  him  no  more  :  and  he  went  on 
his  way  rejoicing.  (40)  But  Philip  was  found  at  Azotus  :  and  passing  through  he 
preached  in  all  the  cities,  till  he  came  to  Cesarea.— Acts  viii,  26-40. 

How  rapidly  the  word  of  God  is  spreading !  The  disciples  are 
multiplying  in  Jerusalem  by  the  thousand ;  even  a  great  multitude 
of  priests  have  become  obedient  unto  the  faith.  Persecution  has 
sent  the  Gospel  forth  into  Samaria,  which  has  now  been  thoroughly 
evangelized  by  Philip ;  the  apostles  have  returned  to  Jerusalem, 
evangelizing  the  villages  of  Samaria  by  the  way ;  and  now  the  Gos- 
pel makes  a  great  stride,  coursing  down  toward  Africa  by  way  of 
the  desert,  and  there  finding  lodgment  in  the  heart  of  a  man  who  will 
carry  it  with  him  into  Ethiopia,  whence  it  will  spread  until  Africa 
shall  become  a  chief  seat  of  the  word  of  God.  We  find  ourselves 
still  under  the  influence  of  the  extraordinary  ministrations  of  the 
unseen  world.     It  was  the  angel  of  the  Lord  that  spake  unto  Philip 

289 


290  PHILIP  AND   THE   EUNUCH. 

and  bade  him  go  down  to  the  desert.  It  was  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
that  bade  him  go  near  and  join  himself  to  the  chariot  when  he  had 
gone  there ;  and  it  was  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  that  caught  Philip 
away  to  Azotus  when  he  had  finished  his  work  with  the  eunuch. 
These  are  some  advantages  which  we  do  not  possess  now,  but  then 
we  have  others  which  the  early  disciples  did  not  possess.  The 
angel  of  the  Lord  and  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  taught  and  directed  them 
in  some  more  immediate  and  direct  way,  it  is  true,  but  we  have  now 
a  full  and  complete  record  of  all  their  acts,  and  of  the  will  of  God  in 
respect  of  men ;  and  so,  by  patient  loving  and  obedient  study  of  the 
word  of  God  we  may  be  sufficiently  guided  in  our  work  to  dispense 
with  the  ministry  of  angels.  The  method  of  God  from  the  beginning 
has  been  to  withdraw  from  our  sight  the  supernatural  helpers  and 
.  leave  us  to  the  guidance  of  the  word,  as  it  is  illuminated  by  the 
Spirit's  enlightening  aid.  It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that  no 
essential  element  of  power  has  been  changed  since  those  days.  It 
was  not  the  angel  of  the  Lord  nor  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  acting  inde- 
pendently on  the  eunuch's  mind  that  led  him  to  Christ,  or  that  gave 
Philip  his  message.  The  whole  process  in  the  conversion  of  this 
man  was  just  the  same  as  that  which  operates  to-day.  Reading  the 
Scriptures,  being  taught  by  some  one  who  has  gone  before  in  knowl- 
edge ;  question  and  answer ;  glad  confession ;  prompt  obedience  and 
going  on  his  way  rejoicing ;  all  this  is  the  familiar  method  and  move- 
ment of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  conversion  of  men  to-day.  In  read- 
ing the  Scriptures,  let  us  always  seek  for  that  which  remains  of  the 
supernatural  after  divesting  the  story  of  outward  miraculous  mani- 
festations. It  is  not  the  sound  as  of  a  rushing,  mighty  wind,  or  the 
cloven  tongues  as  of  fire  which  we  want ;  but  the  power  of  the  Spirit. 
It  is  not  the  shaking  of  the  house,  but  the  moving  of  our  hearts.  It 
is  not  the  opening  of  the  heavens  and  a  visible  sight  of  Jesus  stand- 
ing at  the  right  hand  of  God,  but  the  power  to  make  that  unseen  fact 
a  substantial  reality  to  our  souls.  We  do  not  need  an  angel  to  come 
down  from  heaven  to  open  our  prison  doors,  but  we  do  need  to  know 
that  there  are  angels  sent  forth  to  minister  to  us,  and  the  power 
given  to  abide  in  prison  cheerfully,  if  needs  be,  for  Christ's  sake. 
We  do  not  need  an  angel  to  come  in  person  to  direct  us  to  the  desert 
or  to  the  city,  but  a  willing  and  ready  heart  and  mind  to  go  into  all 
the  world  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature,  according  to  the 
last  command  of  Jesus. 


THE  EARNEST   INQUIRER.  291 


I.— THE   EARNEST  INQUIRER. 

This  eunuch  always  recalls  to  my  mind  a  picture  of  Nathaniel 
sitting  under  his  fig-tree  searching  the  Scriptures.  (John  i,  50.) 
They  were  men  of  the  same  type  ;  both  earnest  inquirers,  searching 
after  the  truth  in  the  only  place  where  truth  is  to  be  found.  We 
may  be  sure  that  such  men,  in  all  countries  and  of  every  race  and 
condition,  are  directly  under  the  eye  of  God,  who  is  seeking  such  to 
worship  him. 

1. — Who  he  was. — The  record  tells  us,  in  a  very  brief  biography, 
who  this  man  was.  (i)  "  A  man  of  Ethiopia."  Here,  then,  is  the  first 
Gentile  convert.  Cornelius  is  usually  spoken  of  as  being  the  first 
convert  from  the  Gentile  world  to  Christ.  But  the  conversion  of 
this  man  preceded  that  of  the  noble  Roman  by  the  length  of  two 
chapters.  The  Scriptures  have  prepared  us  for  the  entrance  of  this 
eunuch  into  the  kingdom.  "Ethiopia  shall  stretch  out  her  hands 
to  God."  (Ps.  lxviii,  31.)  Here,  indeed,  is  the  Romance  of  Grace. 
Egypt  had  been  the  land  of  oppression  wherein  God's  ancient  people 
had  been  made  to  serve  with  rigor ;  Egypt  had  been  ruled  over  by 
that  haughty  king  who  said,  "I  know  not  Jehovah,  neither  will  I  let 
Israel  go."  Now  God  returns  good  for  all  this  evil,  and  gathers  the 
first  sheaf  in  the  harvest  of  the  Gentile  world  from  that  land.  This 
is  like  all  God's  gracious  doings.  Among  the  first  Christian  disciples 
was  a  man  who  could  not  tolerate  the  idea  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ 
because  he  came  from  Nazareth,  a  despised  town  of  a  despised  prov- 
ince ;  the  first  convert  to  Christ  after  his  condemnation,  even  while 
he  was  being  crucified,  was  a  malefactor ;  a  fitting  reply  to  the  rulers 
who  had  numbered  their  Messiah  with  the  transgressors.  The  great- 
est convert  Jesus  ever  had  was  Saul  of  Tarsus,  who,  as  leader  of  the 
persecuting  party,  stood  by  consenting  to  the  death  of  Stephen,  The 
records  of  grace  abound  with  such  romantic  touches  as  this,  (ii)  He 
was  an  eunuch  of  great  authority.  For  the  most  part  the  early  dis- 
ciples of  Jesus  were  men  and  women  of  obscure  position  in  the  world. 
Not  many  mighty  or  noble  were  called  in  those  days,  and  not  many 
now ;  but  here  we  see  among  the  very  first  a  man  of  great  authority, 
the  treasurer  of  the  Queen  of  Ethiopia.  The  kings  of  the  earth  and 
the  rulers  set  themselves  together  against  Christ,  but  he  wins  his 
disciples  from  among  these  very  ranks  of  the  highest.  The  mightiest 
in  the  land  are  made  to  bow  themselves  humbly  before  Jesus,  not 
by  a  bitter  and  forced  constraint,  but  by  a  sweet,  gentle,  and  glad 
willingness  under  such  grace  as  his.     (iii)  He  was  a  proselyte  (some 


292  PHILIP  AND   THE   EUNUCH. 

say  of  the  gate).  He  had,  like  many  other  devout  men  at  this  time, 
turned  with  loathing  and  disgust  away  from  the  corruptions  and 
gross  superstitions  of  heathenism,  and  naturally  had  turned  to  Jeru- 
salem as  the  place  of  hope.  He  had  been  up  to  Jerusalem  to  wor- 
ship, and  was  now  on  his  way  home.  In  his  hand  he  carried  a  copy 
of  the  Jewish  Scriptures,  and  was  reading.  Here  we  have  another 
bridge  from  Judaism  to  the  Gentile  world.  We  have  seen  the  gulf 
spanned  once  by  the  Samaritans ;  here  we  see  it  spanned  at  a  longer 
reach  by  a  Gentile  proselyte.  God  had  in  wonderful  fashion  pre- 
pared the  way  for  the  Gospel  to  flow  out  from  Jerusalem  to  the  far- 
off  world  of  the  heathen.  The  Jews  were  already  scattered  over  the 
whole  earth ;  their  synagogues  were  in  every  city ;  Roman  governors 
and  centurions  were  located  in  Palestine  and  quartered  in  Jerusalem, 
just  where  they  might  come  to  know  by  eye-witness  the  facts  con- 
cerning Jesus ;  proselytes  were  coming  up  to  all  the  feasts  at  a  time 
when  the  activity  of  the  apostles  and  the  early  Church  was  at  boiling- 
point.  Most  probably  this  man  had  heard  much  of  the  Christians 
while  he  was  in  Jerusalem,  and,  knowing  that  they  founded  their 
faith  on  the  testimony  of  the  Scriptures,  was  reading  them  the  more 
diligently,  (iv)  He  was  now  on  his  way  home,  traveling,  as  he  sup- 
posed, alone ;  but  he  was  under  escort  of  God,  who  would  not  suffer 
him  to  remain  in  ignorance  and  confusion,  even  though  for  that  pur- 
pose he  had  to  take  his  principal  evangelist  away  from  a  populous 
city  and  crowded  audiences,  to  teach  him  and  lead  him  into  the  way 
of  life. 

2. — What  he  was  doing. — To  an  ordinary  mind,  the  most  notice- 
able thing  in  connection  with  this  eunuch  would  have  been  his  mag- 
nificent chariot,  the  fine  appointments  of  his  camels,  and  the  splen- 
dors of  his  retinue.  That  he  was  reading  a  piece  of  brown  and  soiled 
parchment  would  not  have  excited  any  special  interest.  But,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  his  chariot  and  retinue  were  of  insignificant  concern 
in  comparison  with  those  leaves  of  papyrus.  "And  sitting  in  his 
chariot  he  read  Esaias  the  prophet."  He  was  in  the  way  to  Christ, 
for  the  prophet  was  one  of  the  chief  witnesses  of  Christ.  (John  i,  55  ; 
v,  39;  Luke  xxiv,  27,  44.)  Blessed  are  they  that  read  the  words  of 
this  prophecy.  Faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word 
of  God.  This  inquirer  was  both  reading  and  hearing  the  word,  for, 
according  to  Oriental  custom,  he  was  reading  aloud  to  himself.  Thus 
he  was  applying  two  of  his  physical  senses  to  the  word.  It  was  this 
that  enabled  Philip  to  know  what  he  was  reading.  I  think  it  is  per- 
fectly safe  to  say  that  no  man  ever  earnestly  and  sincerely  set  him- 


THE   EARNEST   INQUIRER.  293 

notions  or  to  find  errors  and  flaws  therein,  but  to  find  out  what  God 
meant,  who  did  not  in  the  end  find  him  of  whom  and  to  whom  all 
the  Scriptures  give  testimony.  (John  v,  39 ;  I.  Pet.  i,  10,  11 ;  Rev. 
xix,  10.) 

3. — His  character  as  an  inquirer. — Several  beautiful  touches  of 
character  are  brought  out  in  this  brief  biography,  (i)  He  was  an 
humble-minded  man.  When  the  stranger  came  near,  and  running 
along  beside  his  chariot,  courteously  asked  him  if  he  understood 
what  he  was  reading,  he  did  not  look  down  with  scorn  and  contempt, 
and  bid  his  interrogator  to  mind  his  own  business,  and  not  to  ask 
such  questions  of  his  betters  ;  but  humbly  and  simply  replied  :  "How 
can  I,  except  some  man  should  guide  me  ?  "  He  was  not  afraid  to 
confess  his  ignorance.  The  natural  man  understandeth  not  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  usually  is  not  willing  to  understand 
them ;  but  when  a  man  is  already  under  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  as 
was  this  man,  he  is  not  ashamed  of  his  ignorance,  nor  is  he  offended 
when  a  Christian,  be  he  who  he  may,  offers  courteously  to  help  him. 
I  once  ventured  to  speak  to  a  very  great  man  on  religious  matters, 
and  asked  him  if  he  were  a  Christian.  I  did  so  with  some  trepida- 
tion. He,  however,  very  courteously  allowed  me  to  lead  him  on  in 
the  conversation.  At  the  close  of  the  talk  I  expressed  the  hope  that 
he  had  not  considered  me  impertinent  in  so  abruptly  approaching 
him  on  the  subject.  He  grasped  me  by  the  hand,  with  tears  stand- 
ing in  his  eyes,  and  said:  "Don't  ever  hesitate  to  speak  to  any 
man  about  his  soul.  I  have  been  longing  for  twenty  years  to  have 
some  Christian  speak  to  me.  I  believe  there  are  thousands  of  men 
in  this  city  who  are  in  the  same  condition  that  I  am ;  carrying  an  un- 
easy conscience  and  a  great  burden  on  their  souls ;  not  courageous 
enough  to  seek  instruction,  yet  who  would  willingly  receive  it."  (ii) 
"We  are  prepared  to  find  the  second  characteristic.  He  was  teach- 
able. "And  he  desired  Philip  that  he  would  come  up  and  sit  with 
him."  Here  was  a  man  in  earnest.  The  only  reason  why  he  should 
desire  company  on  that  occasion  was  that  he  might  be  helped. 
There  was  that  tone  in  Philip's  question  which  led  the  eunuch  to  be- 
lieve that  he  could  help  him.  The  place  in  the  Scriptures  where  he 
was  reading  was  of  all  places  therein  the  very  heart  and  core  of  Old 
Testament  prophecy  concerning  the  atoning  work  of  Christ ;  the 
wonderful  fifty-third  chapter  of  Isaiah.  Having  pointed  out  to  Philip 
what  he  had  been  reading,  he  puts  a  question  to  him :  "Of  whom 
spake  the  prophet?  of  himself  or  of  some  other  man?  "  This  reveals 
that  he  was  both  very  ignorant  of  the  Scriptures,  and  at  the  same 
time  in  great  mental  confusion,  as  most  men  are  when  first  awak- 


294  PHILIP  AND   THE   EUNUCH. 

enecl;  for  such  are  like  blind  men  who  have  suddenly  received  their 
sight.  They  see  men  as  trees  walking.  Everything  is  new  and 
strange  to  them.  The  Scriptures  suddenly  take  on  them  new  mean- 
ing ;  or  at  least  they  seem  suddenly  filled  with  a  new  light  which  the 
freshly  awakened  reader  cannot  understand.  In  such  case  there  is 
no  better  way  than  to  ask  questions  of  some  man  who  does  under- 
stand what  is  written.  I  shall  always  remember  with  grateful  joy 
when,  under  deepest  conviction  of  sin,  I  was  joined  by  a  man  of 
God,  who  opened  up  to  me  this  very  Scripture  and  showed  me  how 
Jesus  was  "  wounded  for  my  transgressions  and  bruised  for  my  in- 
iquities." Here  again  we  see  the  true  humility  of  this  man,  to- 
gether with  his  real  earnestness,  (iii)  He  was  a  man  of  decision  of 
character.  After  Philip  had  expounded  the  Scripture  to  him,  and 
he  saw  clearly  its  bearing  upon  Jesus  as  the  Saviour,  and  what,  too, 
was  his  own  duty  as  well  as  privilege,  he  took  advantage  of  the  first 
opportunity  to  confess  Christ.  "See,  here  is  water;  what  doth  hin- 
der me  to  be  baptized?"  As  baptism  was  a  form  of  confession,  the 
evangelist  was  not  willing  to  administer  that  rite  until  he  was  satis- 
fied that  his  inquirer  was  intelligent.  Hence  his  question  to  him 
concerning  the  nature  of  his  faith.  The  answer  came  quick  and  in- 
telligent: "I  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God."  This 
was  crucial.  This  was  intelligent.  This  was  to  the  point.  He  did 
not  say,  "I  will  continue  my  journey  and  think  over  what  you  have 
told  me  " ;  then  and  there  he  confessed  Jesus  Christ,  and  declared 
himself  a  believer.  (iv)  But  he  was  also  an  obedient  disciple.  He 
was  not  content  with  mere  lip  confession,  but  he  desired  simply  and 
promptly  to  confess  Christ,  in  Christ's  own  appointed  way.  He  did 
not  say,  "I  will  defer  my  baptism  to  a  more  convenient  season,"  but 
then  and  there,  at  the  first  sight  of  water,  he  wished  to  discharge 
this  commandment  and  put  all  questions  of  discipleship  behind  his 
back.  So  he  commanded  the  chariot  to  come  to  a  stop,  stepped 
down  with  Philip  into  the  water,  and  was  baptized.  This  prompt- 
ness of  decision  and  readiness  to  obedience  is  in  sharp  contrast  with 
the  action  of  many  would-be  disciples  now.  They  wish  to  "  think  it 
over,"  and  inquire  if  "baptism  is  essential  to  salvation,"  and  whether 
"it  is  not  possible  to  be  a  Christian  without  making  an  open  con- 
fession " ;  in  short,  to  have  recourse  to  every  kind  of  device  in  order 
to  secure  to  themselves  the  maximum  of  benefit  from  Christ  with  the 
minimum  of  obedience  and  honor  on  their  part.  Our  souls  grow 
weary  of  the  shifts  which  certain  modern  inquirers  make  in  order  to 
avoid  open  confession  and  prompt  and  simple  obedience. 

4. — A  happy  convert. — "And  he  went  on  his  way  rejoicing."    As 


A   FAITHFUL   MINISTER.  295 

soon  as  he  had  been  baptized  the  Spirit  caught  away  Philip,  and  the 
eunuch  was  left  alone,  so  far  as  an  earthly  teacher  was  concerned. 
But  he  was  not  alone.  He  had  the  Scriptures  in  his  hand,  the  Spirit 
of  God  in  his  heart,  and  the  invisible  presence  of  Jesus  with  him. 
Moreover,  he  had  the  happy  consciousness  that  the  whole  matter  be- 
tween himself  and  the  Lord  was  settled ;  settled  in  the  Lord's  way 
and  according  to  his  word.  Happy  convert !  Happy  disciple  !  He 
went  on  his  way  rejoicing.  God  gave  him  this  seal  of  the  Spirit 
that  should  accompany  every  warrant  of  conversion,  even  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  is  the  portion  of  a  true  confessor  and  an  obedient 
disciple. 

H.— A   FAITHFUL   MINISTER. 

It  probably  cost  Philip  a  little  struggle  to  give  up  his  most  pros- 
perous work  in  Samaria,  to  be  sent  out  into  a  desert  place  on  an 
errand,  particular  in  direction,  but  vague  and  undefined  as  to  pur- 
pose. He  was,  in  fact,  sent  forth  with  sealed  orders.  It  was  not  till 
he  reached  the  desert  and  overtook  the  eunuch  in  his  chariot,  that 
he  knew  for  what  intent  he  had  been  taken  away  from  his  great 
labors.  How  many  of  God's  servants  have  since  then  been  sent  off 
into  far  countries,  not  knowing  whither  they  went  or  why,  but  only 
conscious  that  they  were  pressed  by  the  Spirit  to  go.  One  and  an- 
other has  said:  "  I  must  goto  India";  "  I  must  go  to  Africa  "  ;  "I 
must  go  to  China " ;  and  so  has  God  been  sending  his  messengers 
forth  till  the  whole  world  is  covered  with  missionaries  of  the  cross. 
These  have  found  their  work  when  they  have  come  to  their  ap- 
pointed place.  The  faithful  servant  does  not  wait  till  he  knows  all 
the  purpose  of  God,  but  is  content  simply  to  know  what  he  is  to  do, 
without  asking  why. 

1. — Preaching  Jesus. — After  Philip  had  joined  himself  to  the 
chariot,  had  been  invited  to  sit  with  the  eunuch,  and  had  learned 
the  particular  Scripture  which-was  engaging  his  thoughts,  he  "be- 
gan at  that  same  Scripture  and  preached  unto  him  Jesus."  This  is 
the  old  story  of  apostolic  ministry — preaching  Jesus.  How  the  ex- 
pressions setting  forth  this  fact  run  through  the  Acts  :  "preaching 
the  Word";  "preaching  the  Gospel " ;  "preaching  peace  by  Jesus 
Christ";  "preached  Jesus  unto  him";  "ceased  not  to  teach  and 
preach  Jesus  Christ "  ;  "  preached  the  Lord  Jesus  "  ;  "Jesus  whom 
Paul  preached  "  ;  "  according  to  the  preaching  of  Jesus."  Philip  had 
a  grand  text  in  the  fifty-third  of  Isaiah.  He  could  not  have  had  a 
better  or  a  fuller.  The  written  word  in  this  case  prepared  the  way 
for  the  preached  word,   as  it  does  even  now.     He  is  but  a  sorry 


29G  PHILIP   AND   THE   EUNUCH. 

preacher  who  does  not  draw  his  sermon  from  the  written  word.  I 
once  heard  of  a  great  preacher  who  apologized  for  omitting  to  read 
the  Scriptures,  on  the  ground  that  his  sermon  was  rather  long,  and 
that  he  had  "to  leave  something  out."  To  which  the  worthy  old- 
fashioned  deacon,  to  whom  the  remark  was  made,  replied:  "Well, 
Doctor,  the  next  time  you  preach  for  us  and  have  to  leave  something 
out,  give  us  the  word  of  God  and  leave  out  some  of  your  own  stuff." 
We  have  not  the  sermon  of  Philip,  but  it  is  not  difficult  to  follow  his 
lines  of  thought  and  teaching  from  the  occasional  hints  here  and 
there  throughout  this  story.  First  he  must  have  told  the  eunuch  of 
whom  the  prophet  spake,  even  of  Jesus,  and  then  proceeded  to  show 
him  that  this  Jesus  was  none  other  than  the  Son  of  God ;  for  the 
eunuch  afterward  confessed  that  he  believed  Jesus  to  be  in  very 
truth  the  Son  of  God.  Second,  we  may  be  sure  that  he  made  good 
use  of  Isaiah's  word  to  open  up  to  him  God's  method  of  salvation 
through  the  sacrificial  sufferings  of  Jesus,  who  died  for  us,  accord- 
ing to  the  Scriptures,  and  was  buried  and  raised  again.  All  apos- 
tolic preaching  included  this,  for  Paul  tells  us  distinctly  that  this 
was  the  Gospel  which  he  received,  and  which  he  preached.  (I.  Cor. 
xv,  1-4. )  Third,  naturally  he  detailed  to  him  all  the  leading  facts 
in  the  life  of  Jesus  :  what  he  taught,  what  ho  did,  and  how  marvel- 
ously  he  lived  in  this  world ;  how  he  was  "cut  off  from  the  land  of 
the  living,"  by  the  Jews,  and  left  without  a  generation  according  to 
the  flesh.  No  doubt  he  further  set  forth  how  God  was  even  now 
raising  up  a  spiritual  generation,  numbering  already  many  thousands 
of  souls.  Fourth,  he  told  how  that,  after  the  Jews  had  crucified 
Jesus,  God  had  raised  him  from  the  dead  and  exalted  him  at  his  right 
hand  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour,  to  give  repentance  and  remission 
of  sins.  Fifth,  then  he  must  have  instructed  him  in  the  nature  of 
faith,  repentance,  and  baptism,  and  shown  him  how  this  latter  or- 
dinance was  the  divinely  appointed  method  of  declaring  his  faith 
and  setting  forth  his  union  with  Christ  in  death  and  resurrection. 
The  Gospel  is  very  simple ;  but  very  full.  Happy  is  the  man  who 
has  learned  to  preach  it  effectively  as  Philip. 

2. — A  careful  minister. — The  eunuch  was  an  apt  and  eager  dis- 
ciple. He  was  ready  at  once  to  accept  the  Gospel,  and  desired  to  be 
baptized  as  soon  as  he  saw  water.  Yet  Philip  was  not  willing  to 
baptize  him  until  he  was  sure  of  both  his  sincerity  and  intelligence. 
Therefore,  he  interposed  with  a  condition  as  to  the  depth  of  his  faith. 
When  the  answer  came  back,  clear,  ringing,  and  certain,  "I  believe 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,"  there  was  no  more  doubt  in  the 
evangelist's  mind.     He  was  then  as  prompt  to  baptize  as  he  was  a 


A   FAITHFUL   MINISTER.  297 

moment  before  reluctant.  Our  zeal  for  converts  ought  not  to  run 
away  with  our  caution ;  nor  should  our  caution  be  so  excessive  as  to 
prevent  real  believers  from  promptly  going  forward  in  the  pathway 
of  obedience. 

3. — Away  to  other  fields. — Immediately  on  the  eunuch's  bap- 
tism, the  Spirit  caught  Philip  away.  Perhaps  this  was  by  a  kind  of 
rapture  of  the  body,  as  in  the  case  of  Enoch  and  Elijah,  though  we 
may  not  be  certain  of  this ;  at  any  rate,  his  work  with  the  eunuch 
was  done,  and  God  removed  his  servant  to  another  field  of  useful- 
ness. It  might  have  been  a  temptation  to  him  to  have  stayed  too 
long  in  the  company  of  a  great  and  rich  man,  who  would  no  doubt 
have  invited  him  down  to  Egypt  and  offered  to  bestow  great  benefits 
upon  him ;  so  God  took  Philip  out  of  the  way  of  this  temptation  and 
set  him  down  at  Azotus.  He  did  not  tarry  there,  but,  "  passing 
through,  he  preached  in  all  the  cities  until  he  came  to  Caesarea." 
Thus  did  the  busy  and  untiring  evangelist  go  on  his  way ;  from  Sa- 
maria to  the  desert ;  from  the  desert  to  Azotus  ;  and  on  his  return 
journey  preached  in  all  the  cities.  Let  us,  too,  follow  in  his  foot- 
steps, so  far  at  least  as  simple  obedience,  faithful  preaching,  and 
tireless  zeal  for  God  is  concerned. 


September  18,  18>93. 


XXXVIII. 
REVIEW   OR   OPTIONAL    LESSON. 


(298) 


September  25,  1892. 


XXXIX. 
THE    LORD'S    SUPPER    PROFANED.— I.  Cor.  xi,  20-34. 

(20)  When  ye  come  together  therefore  into  one  place,  this  is  not  to  eat  the  Lord's 
supper.  (21)  For  in  eating  every  one  taketh  before  other  his  own  supper:  and  one 
is  hungry,  and  another  is  drunken.  (22)  What!  have  ye  not  houses  to  eat  and  to 
drink  in  ?  or  despise  ye  the  church  of  God,  and  shame  them  that  have  not  ?  What 
shall  I  say  to  you  ?  shall  I  praise  you  in  this  ?  I  praise  you  not.  (23)  For  I  have  re- 
ceived of  the  Lord  that  which  also  I  delivered  unto  you,  That  the  Lord  Jesus,  the 
same  night  in  which  he  was  betrayed,  took  bread  :  (24)  And  when  he  had  given 
thanks,  he  brake  it,  and  said,  Take,  eat ;  this  is  my  body,  which  is  broken  for  you  : 
this  do  in  remembrance  of  me.  (25)  After  the  same  manner  also  he  took  the  cnp, 
when  he  had  supped,  6aying,  This  cup  is  the  new  testament  in  my  blood:  this  do  ye, 
as  oft  as  ye  drink  it,  in  remembrance  of  me.  (26)  For  as  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread, 
and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  shew  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come.  (27)  Wherefore  who- 
soever shall  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup  of  the  Lord,  unworthily,  shall  be  guilty 
of  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord.  (28)  But  let  a  man  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him 
eat  of  that  bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup.  (29)  For  he  that  eateth  and  drinketh  un- 
worthily, eateth  and  drinketh  damnation  to  himself,  not  discerning  the  Lord's  body. 
(30)  For  this  cause  many  are  weak  and  eickly  among  you,  and  many  sleep.  (31)  For 
if  we  would  judge  ourselves,  we  should  not  be  judged.  (32)  But  when  we  are  judged, 
we  are  chastened  of  the  Lord,  that  we  should  not  be  condemned  with  the  world. 

(33)  Wherefore,  my  brethren,  when  ye  come  together  to  eat,  tarry  one  for  another. 

(34)  And  if  any  man  hunger,  let  him  eat  at  home  ;   that  ye  come  not  together  unto 
condemnation.    And  the  rest  will  I  set  in  order  when  I  come.— I.  Cor.  xi,  20-34. 

Corinth  was  a  wealthy  city ;  in  fact,  the  commercial  metropolis  of 
Greece.  Like  other  cities  of  great  wealth,  there  were  in  it  a  large 
number  of  extremely  poor  people.  The  habits  of  the  wealthy  were 
luxurious  and  excessive  in  every  way.  They  were  particularly  given 
to  feasting  and  the  gratification  of  bodily  appetites.  There  was  a 
custom,  however,  in  Greece,  and  particularly  in  this  city,  of  forming 
guilds,  or  clubs,  in  which  the  rich  and  the  poor  were  alike  members. 
These  clubs  dined  together  daily,  each  member  contributing  his  por- 
tion of  food  and  wine  to  the  common  meal.  The  rich  would  send 
more,  and  of  course  the  poor  would  send  less ;  but  a  common  distri- 
bution was  made,  so  that  all  fared  alike  at  the  meal.  This  was  one 
of  the  forms  which  charity  took  in  those  days.  It  was  a  community 
of  food,  if  not  of  goods.  The  Church  at  Corinth  was  made  up  of  all 
classes  of  people,  the  rich  and  poor,  the  high  and  low,  the  clean  and 

299 


300        THE  LORD'S  SUPPER  PROFANED. 

unclean.  The  Gospel  had  been  preached  to  all,  and  received  by 
members  out  of  every  class.  Saved,  these  Corinthians  may  have 
been,  in  the  sense  of  being  accepted  of  God  and  justified  by  the 
Spirit  on  the  ground  of  the  atonement  (vi,  11),  but  sanctified  they 
certainly  were  not,  in  the  sense  of  having  been  purged  from  all  their 
old  sins.  Much  of  their  heathen  life  and  habits  clung  to  them  even 
after  they  were  converted.  The  two  epistles  of  Paul  to  this  Church 
show  how  far  short  they  were  from,  being  what  they  ought  to  have 
been.  Yet  it  is  not  fair  to  visit  them  with  too  harsh  a  judgment, 
especially  as  we  ourselves,  in  this  nineteenth  century,  live  in  houses 
composed  very  largely  of  glass.  The  moderation,  wisdom,  firmness, 
and  love  of  the  apostle  in  dealing  with  this  Church,  is  most  beauti- 
ful, and  should  be  a  lesson  to  us  all  on  the  point  of  our  Church  rela- 
tions. He  does  not  hesitate  to  remind  them  that  some  of  them  have 
been  liars,  adulterers,  covetous,  extortioners,  revilers,  and  all  of 
them  idolaters ;  not  a  few  of  them  even  guilty  of  worse  and  more  de- 
grading sins.  Some  of  these  sins  were  still  practiced  by  some  of 
their  number.  One  man,  at  least,  was  so  notorious  that  he  had  been 
judged  and  cast  out  of  the  fellowship  of  the  Church ;  yet  even  in  this 
case  Paul's  hope  was  that  he  might  be  recovered.  There  were 
strifes,  divisions,  parties,  heresies,  and  all  sorts  of  contentions  in 
the  Church.  These  things  rose  to  the  surface  as  dross  rises  to  the 
surface  of  a  smelting-pot.  Among  the  gravest  and  most  unchristlike 
abuses  that  had  crept  in,  was  that  which  gathered  about  the  Lord's 
Supper.  The  Corinthian  guild  fashion  had  been  adapted  by  the 
Church  to  its  new  conditions  and  relations,  and  thus  the  whole 
Church  became  a  club  for  the  purpose  of  eating  together  daily,  ac- 
cording to  the  fashion  of  the  community.  This  feast  was  known  in 
the  early  Church  (for  it  seems  to  have  spread  among  all  the  churches), 
as  the  Agape,  or  Love  Feast  (Jude  12) ;  and  such  it  was  at  the  be- 
ginning. The  Church  came  together  once  a  day,  each  member 
bringing  food  as  they  had  it,  and  a  common  table  was  spread ;  tho 
rich  bringing  more,  the  poor  less,  or  none  at  all.  Sometimes  at  the 
beginning  and  sometimes  at  the  close  of  this  feast  the  ordinance  of 
the  Lord's  Supper  was  celebrated. 

I.— THE   ABUSE   OF   THE   FEAST. 

It  was  in  connection  with  this  feast  of  charity  that  the  Lord's 
Supper  became  profaned  and  lost  its  significance. 

1. — The  Supper  turned  into  a  carnal  feast. — The  Agape  was  not 
the  Lord's  Supper,   but  was  celebrated  in  such  close  connection 


THE   ABUSE   OF   THE   FEAST.  301 

therewith,  that  the  two  finally  merged  into  one.  Instead  of  a  brief 
separate  eating  of  a  piece  of  bread  and  drinking  of  a  sip  of  wine  at 
the  close  of  the  feast,  as  our  Lord  had  done  with  his  disciples  at  the 
time  of  its  institution  at  the  close  of  the  Paschal  Feast,  they  com- 
bined the  two,  and  finally  made  no  distinction.  They  simply  came 
together  to  eat.  "What !  have  ye  not  houses  to  eat  and  drink  in?  " 
This  was  the  indignant  question  of  the  apostle,  by  which  he  char- 
acterized their  feasting.  Instead  of  remembering  the  Lord,  they 
were  simply  using  the  Church  as  a  kind  of  refectory  or  club-house, 
where  they  resorted  daily  to  satisfy  their  hunger  and  please  their 
palates.  To  such  an  excess  was  this  eating  and  drinking  carried, 
that  not  a  few  of  them  left  the  table  "  drunken  "  with  both  food  and 
drink. 

2. — The  Church  divided  into  social  cliques. — The  worst  forms 
of  selfishness  were  being  developed  in  the  Church.  In  Jerusalem, 
James  tells  us  in  his  epistle  that  the  rich  seated  themselves  in  the 
best  places,  and  the  poor  were  relegated  to  the  lowest ;  that  when  a 
rich  man  came  in,  having  on  gay  apparel  and  a  gold  ring,  all  honor 
was  paid  to  him,  but  the  poor  man  was  despised.  We  think  we  can 
detect  some  faint  traces  of  this  abuse  even  in  our  modern  churches. 
In  Corinth  the  distinction  between  rich  and  poor  took  on  another 
form.  The  Agape  was  no  longer  a  common  meal.  The  rich  would 
now  come  in  with  their  own  basket  of  food  and  wine>  and  set  it  down 
before  themselves,  and,  without  waiting  for  others,  or  distributing 
their  supplies,  would  begin  at  once  to  eat.  Small  parties,  or  groups 
of  twos  or  threes,  or  even  more,  would  collect  together  for  the  pur- 
pose of  eating ;  whereas  many  of  the  poor,  who  had  been  wont  to 
share  the  common  meal  with  their  richer  brethren,  were  left  without 
anything  at  all,  and  went  away  hungry.  Thus  two  great  offenses 
were  committed :  Selfishness  of  the  worst  kind  was  exercised,  in 
which  there  was  left  no  place  for  charity ;  and  the  Church  as  such 
was  despised  as  not  being  recognized  in  its  poor  members. 

3. — The  significance  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was  entirely  lost. — 
It  does  not  need  more  than  a  single  thought,  to  see  how  utterly  in 
this  state  of  affairs,  the  whole  meaning  of  the  Lord's  Supper  van- 
ished. Indeed,  these  men  had  deliberately  abandoned  the  spiritual 
rite,  and  given  themselves  up  to  mere  carnal  eating  and  drinking. 
Instead  of  taking  bread,  reverently  giving  thanks,  breaking  it,  and 
parting  it  among  themselves,  and  likewise  distributing  the  wine  out 
of  a  common  cup,  to  offer  all  upon  the  altar  of  loving  remembrance 
of  Christ,  they  made  a  god  of  their  belly  (Phil,  iii,  19),  and  gloried 
in  their  shame.     It  was  such  things  as  this  that  mado  the  apostle 


302  THE   LORD'S   SUPPER   PROFANED. 

weep.  It  is  quite  possible,  though  no  such  abuse  as  this  exists  in 
connection  with  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper  among  us, 
that  we  may  have  in  many  cases  lost  the  simple  and  primary  signifi- 
cance of  the  sacrament,  by  turning  it  into  an  idol,  as  does  the  Ro- 
manist, or  into  an  instrument  of  spiritual  self-torture,  as  many  Prot- 
estants ;  or,  at  least,  by  using  it  as  a  kind  of  fetish,  supposing  that 
in  some  way  our  salvation  is  guaranteed  by  partaking  of  the  ele- 
ments. 

II.— THE   LORD'S   SUPPER  EXPOUNDED. 

Having  pointed  out  some  of  the  abuses  and  the  general  profana- 
tion of  the  Supper,  the  apostle  proceeds  to  re-expound  its  significance 
to  the  Corinthians,  with  a  view  of  correcting  the  abuse.  He,  in  the 
end,  insisted  that  it  should  no  longer  be  celebrated  in  connection 
with  the  Agape,  telling  them,  if  they  wanted  simply  to  eat,  to  do  so 
in  their  own  houses.  He  sets  forth  to  them  in  order  the  history  of 
the  institution  of  the  Supper  and  the  proper  manner  of  its  celebra- 
tion. The  apostle  was  not  one  of  the  original  twelve  who  were 
present  when  the  Lord  first  took  bread  and  brake  it,  but  he  had  re- 
ceived of  the  Lord,  by  a  special  communication,  the  whole  story,  and 
had  so  delivered  it  to  them,  just  as  he  had  received  of  the  Lord  the 
Gospel  and  delivered  it  to  them.  (Compare  v.  23  with  xv,  1-3.) 
The  importance  of  this  institution  over  and  above  that  of  baptism, 
is  seen  in  that,  while  the  Lord  had  specially  revealed  to  Saint  Paul 
the  details  of  the  Supper  and  charged  him  with  the  delivery  of  these 
details  to  the  Gentile  Churches,  he  had  given  him  no  command  what- 
ever in  respect  of  baptism. 

1 . — When  it  was  instituted. — "  The  same  night  in  which  he  was 
betrayed  he  took  bread,  and  when  he  had  given  thanks  he  brake  it." 
The  account  of  the  institution  is  particularly  detailed  by  Matthew, 
(xxvi,  26-30  ;  also  Mark  iv,  22-26  ;  Luke  xxii,  14-20.)  The  fact  that 
at  that  time  the  hand  of  the  traitor  was  lifted  against  the  Master, 
that  the  shadow  of  the  cross  was  already  flung  over  him,  in  short, 
that  all  the  surroundings  had  been  so  solemn  and  tender,  ought  to 
cause  the  passions  of  human  nature,  the  selfishness  and  greed  of  the 
flesh,  to  submit  themselves  to  this  sublime  ordinance  in  loving,  un- 
selfish, and  grateful  adoration.  Our  very  heart  should  tremble  lest  in 
any  way  we  should  profane  it  by  unworthily  using  or  wickedly  abus- 
ing the  occasion. 

2. — Its  elements. — The  elements  for  the  use  and  celebration  of 
the  Lord's  Supper  were  bread  and  wine.  These  two  things  made  up 
the  principal  diet  of  the  people  in  the  Oriental  world.     Bread  was 


THE   LORD'S   SUPPER   EXPOUNDED.  303 

the  very  staff  of  life,  and  wine  "the  fruit  of  the  vine,"  was  the  peo- 
ple's drink.  In  speaking  of  the  wine,  it  is  suggestive  that  the  word 
"  wine  "  is  never  used  in  connection  with  the  Lord's  Supper,  but  the 
terms  "cup,"  and  our  Lord's  own  designation,  "the  fruit  of  the 
vine."  It  is  not  our  purpose  to  go  into  the  question  of  "  fermented" 
and  "  unfermented  "  wine  ;  but  we  give  it  as  our  judgment  that  the 
wine  used  at  the  table  was  the  ordinary  pure  juice  of  the  grape. 
That  it  was  wholly  unfermented  we  do  not  believe  ;  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  we  neither  believe  that  it  was  the  highly  fermented  wine  even 
then  in  use,  "that  giveth  its  color  in  the  cup,"  that  "biteth  like  a 
serpent  and  stingeth  like  an  adder,"  or  anything  like  our  common 
wine  of  commerce,  in  which  the  alcoholic  basis  is  so  largely  present. 
I  am  decidedly  of  opinion,  however,  that  too  much  is  made  of  this 
controversy  over  the  question  of  the  kind  of  wine  to  be  used,  and 
that  many  persons  are  more  intent  on  the  quality  of  the  elements 
than  upon  the  significance  of  the  ordinance  itself. 

3. — The  manner  of  celebrating  the  Supper. — This  is  very  sim- 
ple. First  the  bread  is  taken  in  hand  and  a  brief  prayer  of  thanks- 
giving is  offered.  The  Supper  is  called  the  Eucharist,  from  the 
Greek  word  which  signifies  to  give  thanks.  There  is  no  hint  that 
there  was  in  the  early  Church  any  ceremony  of  consecration.  Of 
course,  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  or  even  consubstantia- 
tion,  is  absolutely  foreign  from  the  teaching  of  Scripture.  The  bread 
and  the  wine  are  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  in  the  same  sense  in 
which  Paul,  speaking  of  the  rock  in  the  wilderness  out  of  which 
water  was  stricken,  said:  "And  that  rock  was  Christ."  After  thanks 
were  given,  the  bread  was  broken  and  parted  among  the  disciples 
(Matt,  xxvi,  26),  and  they  did  eat  it.  In  the  same  manner  the  cup 
was  "  blessed  "  and  parted  among  the  disciples  ;  and  they  did  drink 
of  it,  not  the  whole  flagon  each,  any  more  than  each  ate  the  whole 
loaf,  but  each  took  a  small  bit  of  the  bread  and  each  a  sip  out  of  the 
cup.  This  was  the  whole  ceremony.  It  was  celebrated  without  any 
of  the  cumbersome  formalities  of  modern  times. 

4. — Its  significance. — Five  principal  things  enter  into  the  signifi- 
cance of  the  Lord's  Supper,  (i)  It  was  a  memorial  supper.  "  Do 
this  in  remembrance  of  me."  It  was  a  parting  gift  from  the  Lord  to 
his  disciples  by  which,  throughout  the  time  of  his  absence,  they 
might  bring  him  and  all  the  love  he  bare  them,  and  the  promises  he 
had  made  them,  to  their  remembrance  ;  and  that  not  so  much  for  his 
sake  as  for  theirs.  The  remembrance  that  he  was  alive  and  caring 
for  them  would  be  a  strength  to  them  in  times  of  distress  and  trouble, 
(ii)  It  was  a  perpetual  testimony  to  them  of  the  meaning  and  power 


304        THE  LORD'S  SUPPER  PROFANED. 

of  his  death.  "This  is  my  body,  broken  for  you."  "This  is  the 
New  Testament  in  my  blood."  Our  Lord  had  himself  explained  the 
significance  of  this  when  he  instituted  the  Supper,  saying,  "  This  is 
the  blood  of  my  new  covenant,  shed  fo:  many  for  the  remission  of 
sins."  (Matt,  xxvi,  28.)  So  that  on  every  celebration  of  the  Sup- 
per we  are  reminded  that  Christ's  death  expiated  our  sins  and  pro- 
claimed our  forgiveness.  What  a  precious  preacher  is  the  Lord's 
Supper !  (iii)  It  testified  to  the  disciples  their  oneness  in  Christ, 
and  expressed  their  fellowship  and  communion  with  each  other  in 
him.  "  The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  communion 
of  the  blood  of  Christ?  The  bread  which  we  break,  it  it  not  the 
communion  of  the  body  of  Christ?  For  we  being  many  are  one 
bread,  and  one  body ;  for  we  are  all  partakers  of  that  one  loaf."  (x, 
16,  17. )  (iv)  The  same  Scripture  testifies  that  we  not  only  live  by 
Christ,  but  that  our  spiritual  life  is  sustained  by  a  constant  com- 
munion with  him.  It  is  not  the  Lord's  Supper  that  sustains  our 
spiritual  life,  any  more  than  it  is  that  which  first  communicated  life  ; 
but  the  Supper  both  testifies  to  the  fact  that  we  live  by  his  volun- 
tary death  for  us,  and  that  our  life  is  sustained  by  our  communion 
with  him  now  that  he  is  alive  from  the  dead,  (v)  It  is  a  pledge  to 
us  that,  however  long  he  may  be  absent  from  the  world,  he  will 
come  again,  and  it  is  also  our  testimony  to  the  world  of  this  our 
hope.  "For,  as  oft  as  ye  eat  this  bread  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do 
show  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come."  Such  are  the  main  features  of 
the  teaching  and  significance  of  this  sacrament. 

III.— ITS   PROFANATION   REBUKED. 

The  apostle  had  been  sadly  grieved  by  the  reports  which  had 
come  to  him  concerning  the  divisions,  contentions,  and  sins  in  the 
Church ;  but  especially  of  the  abuses  which  had  sprung  up  in  con- 
nection with  the  Supper.  He  sets  these  abuses  in  order  and  then 
proceeds  to  rebuke  the  Corinthians  for  them. 

1. — The  abuses  set  forth. — For  these  abuses  he  says  he  cannot 
praise  them ;  that  is,  he  condemns  them.  What  were  they  ?  Three 
in  number,  (i)  They  despised  the  Church  of  God.  Instead  of  mak- 
ing it  a  place  and  an  assembly  for  the  worship  of  God,  and  the  edifi- 
cation of  each  other  in  love  and  good  works,  they  had  turned  it  into 
a  place  for  a  carnal  feast,  and  split  it  up  into  factions,  determined 
by  the  wealth  of  the  members.  Their  Agape  had  lost  its  holy  char- 
acter, and  was,  as  now  celebrated,  nothing  more  than  a  disgrace  to 
the  house  of  God.     It  was  in  the  church  that  the  money-changers 


ITS   PROFANATION   REBUKED.  305 

and  the  sellers  of  doves  had  made  their  unholy  traffic  in  the  temple, 
which  Jesus  had  purged  with  a  whip  of  small  cords,  (ii)  Their  self- 
ish and  exclusive  habit  of  not  tarrying  for  each  other  and  dividing 
their  food  without  respect  of  persons  had  put  the  poor  to  shame ; 
they  thus  had  scandalized  the  doctrine  of  brotherly  love,  and  given 
the  lie  to  the  proverb  that  had  already  become  current  in  the  com- 
munity where  those  Christian  churches  existed.  "Behold,  how 
these  Christians  love  one  another."  And  besides  all  this,  God  re- 
sents any  offense  or  slight  put  upon  the  poor  simply  because  they 
are  poor,  (iii)  But  chiefly  their  carnal  practices  had  rendered  them 
"guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ."  This  is  a  peculiar  expres- 
sion, and  roughly  represents  that  their  practices  turned  a  spiritual 
ordinance,  which  signified  life  and  salvation  through  Christ,  into  a 
carnal  meal  for  the  gratification  of  merely  carnal  appetite.  The  full 
deep  meaning  of  it  is  too  awful  to  put  into  words  ;  a  kind  of  spiritual 
cannibalism,  of  which  the  Jews  had  some  gross  idea  when  Jesus 
spoke  to  them  of  his  body  and  blood  being  the  meat  and  drink  of  the 
soul.     (John  vi,  52-58.) 

2. — The  consequences  of  profaning  the  Supper. — These  were 
two.  (i)  A  spiritual  consequence.  "  He  that  eateth  and  drinketh  un- 
worthily, eateth  and  drinketh  damnation  to  himself,  not  discern- 
ing the  Lord's  body."  This  word  "  damnation  "  does  not  signify  eter- 
nal damnation,  but  simply  "condemnation."  It  shows  that  such  are 
certainly  condemned  in  the  thing  whereof  the  apostle  has  been 
speaking,  namely,  the  grave  abuse  and  misconception  of  the  whole 
ordinance.  It  shows  that  they  have  lost  their  spirituality  and  faith. 
The  word  "  unworthily "  does  not  mean  personal  unworthiness,  for 
who  is  not  personally  unworthy?  but  it  signifies  a  misconception  of 
the  ordinance  of  things  and  the  putting  of  the  Lord's  Supper  to  an 
unworthy  use.  It  is  explained  by  the  clause  "not  discerning  the 
Lord's  body."  Had  they  so  discerned  the  Lord's  body,  they  could 
not  have  turned  the  Supper  into  a  carnal  feast ;  but  not  discerning 
the  Lord's  body,  they  made  an  unworthy  use  of  the  Supper,  and  so 
condemned  themselves  in  their  own  action,  (ii)  A  physical  conse- 
quence. "  For  this  cause  many  are  weak  and  sickly  among  you,  and 
some  sleep."  As  God  sent  sickness  upon  the  Jewish  people  as  a 
pimishment  for  their  apostasies  (Deut.  xxix,  22,  25),  so  he  chastised 
these  Corinthians  by  sending  sickness  upon  them,  and  even  death. 
There  is  some  close  connection  between  spiritual  and  physical  health, 
especially  among  those  who  profess  the  Christian  faith.  (III.  John 
2. )  Some  strange  malady  seems  to  have  been  present  in  the  Church 
at  Corinth  of  which  the  apostle  had  heard,  and  from  the  effects  of 


306        THE  LORD'S  SUPPER  PROFANED. 

which  some  had  died.  He  explains  the  nature  of  that  malady,  and 
points  out  its  cause  or  occasion.  It  is  by  some  able  interpreters 
supposed  that  it  was  sickness  of  this  kind  which  was  healed  by  the 
laying  on  of  hands  by  the  elders,  as  spoken  of  by  James.  There  is 
not  a  little  warrant  for  such  a  conclusion. 

IV.— HOW   TO   REMEDY  MATTERS. 

"  Scripture  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction, 
for  instruction  in  righteousness."  (II.  Tim.  iii,  16.)  We  have  seen 
the  doctrine  of  the  Supper,  and  have  noted  the  apostolic  rebuke  of 
the  evils  connected  therewith  ;  we  have  remarked  some  of  the  calam- 
ities attending  these  irregularities ;  we  turn  now  to  consider  the 
apostolic  instruction  for  the  correction  of  the  abuses  and  the  purg- 
ing away  of  the  sin  from  the  life. 

1. — Self-examination. — "But  let  a  man  examine  himself,  and  so 
let  him  eat."  This  is  not,  as  is  too  commonly  supposed,  an  injunc- 
tion to  that  morbid  self-examination  which  so  many  people  indulge 
in  just  before  the  Supper,  to  find  out  if  they  are  fit  or  worthy  to 
come  to  the  table.  Who  is  fit  and  who  is  worthy?  Besides  this,  our 
business  at  the  Lord's  Supper  is  not  self -contemplation,  but  the  re- 
membrance of  our  Master,  the  showing  forth  of  his  death  and  look- 
ing for  his  second  coming.  It  is  an  utter  perversion  of  the  Supper's 
use  to  spend  the  time  before  and  during  the  service  upon  ourselves. 
We  are  sinners,  of  course,  and  utterly  unworthy  to  eat  the  bread 
and  drink  the  cup ;  but  we  remember  that  our  Lord*  has  died,  and  so 
we  come,  rejoicing  and  grateful  that  he  has  atoned  for  our  sins  and 
secured  to  us  the  forgiveness  of  our  sins.  The  injunction  is  to  ex- 
amine ourselves  on  the  point  of  whether  or  not  we  discern  the  Lord's 
body ;  and  "  whether  we  be  in  the  faith  "  (II.  Cor.  xiii,  5) ;  whether, 
when  gathered  to  the  Supper,  we  are  there  as  carnal  or  converted 
men ;  whether  we  have  come  to  satisfy  our  hunger  or  to  show  forth 
the  Lord's  death.  If  we  have  come  in  the  latter  spirit,  then  let  us 
eat. 

2. — Self-judgment. — This  looks  to  the  past.  God  has  judged 
some  of  them  by  sickness  and  death.  It  was  better  that,  as  God's 
children,  however  erring,  they  should  thus  be  chastened  than  be  left 
to  the  condemnation  that  belongs  to  the  world.  But  now,  in  the 
meantime,  if  they  shall  acknowledge  their  fault  and  judge  them- 
selves, God  will  have  no  further  occasion  to  afflict  or  chasten  them. 
"For  if  we  judge  ourselves,  we  shall  not  be  judged." 

3. — Exercise  of  charity  and  courtesy. — "  When  ye  come  together 


HOW   TO   REMEDY  MATTERS.  307 

to  eat,  tarry  one  for  another."  No  longer  let  each  man  eat  for  and 
by  himself ;  but  eat  together  and  tarry  till  all  be  assembled,  the  rich 
and  the  poor  alike,  and  let  there  be  real  communion.  Do  not  longer 
prostitute  the  Supper  to  the  end  of  merely  gratifying  hunger.  If 
any  man  hunger,  let  him  go  to  his  own  house  and  there  eat  for  the 
body's  sake,  and  reserve  the  eating  of  the  Lord's  Supper  for  the  soul. 
Let  us  not  think  that  these  reproofs  were  alone  fit  for  the  Corinthian 
Church,  but  rather  let  us  each  search  the  passage  with  care  and 
humility,  examining  if  there  be  no  rebuke  which  we  may  fit  to  our- 
selves on  this  matter  of  so  great  importance. 


October  3,  1893. 


XL. 

SAUL    OF    TARSUS    CONVERTED.— Acts  ix,  1-20. 

(1)  And  Saul,  yet  breathing  out  threatenings  and  slaughter  against  the  disciples 
of  the  Lord,  went  unto  the  high  priest,  (2)  And  desired  of  him  letters  to  Damascus 
to  the  synagogues,  that  if  he  found  any  of  this  way,  whether  they  were  men  or 
women,  he  might  bring  them  bound  unto  Jerusalem.  (3)  And  as  he  journeyed,  he 
came  near  Damascus  :  and  suddenly  there  shined  round  about  him  a  light  from 
heaven  :  (4)  And  he  fell  to  the  earth,  and  heard  a  voice  saying  unto  him,  Saul,  Saul, 
why  persecutest  thou  me  ?  (5)  And  he  said,  Who  art  thou,  Lord  ?  And  the  Lord 
said,  I  am  Jesus  whom  thou  persecutest :  it  is  hard  for  thee  to  kick  against  the 
pricks.  (6)  And  he  trembling  and  astonished  said,  Lord,what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do? 
And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Arise,  and  go  into  the  city,  and  it  shall  be  told  thee  what 
thou  must  do.  (7)  And  the  men  which  journeyed  with  him  stood  speechless,  hear- 
ing a  voice,  but  seeing  no  man.  (8)  And  Saul  arose  from  the  earth  ;  and  when  his 
eyes  were  opened,  he  saw  no  man  :  but  they  led  him  by  the  hand,  and  brought  him 
into  Damascus.  (9)  And  he  was  three  days  without  sight,  and  neither  did  eat  nor 
drink.  (10)  And  there  was  a  certain  disciple  at  Damascus,  named  Ananias  ;  and  to 
him  said  the  Lord  in  a  vision,  Ananias.  And  he  said,  Behold,  I  am  here,  Lord.  (11) 
And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Arise,  and  go  into  the  street  which  is  called  Straight, 
and  inquire  in  the  house  of  Judas  for  one  called  Saul,  of  Tarsus  :  for,  behold,  he 
prayeth,  (12)  And  hath  seen  in  a  vision  a  man  named  Ananias  coming  in,  and  put- 
ting his  hand  on  him,  that  he  might  receive  his  sight.  (13)  Then  Ananias  answered, 
Lord,  I  have  heard  by  many  of  this  man,  how  much  evil  he  hath  done  to  thy  saints 
at  Jerusalem  :  (14)  And  here  he  hath  authority  from  the  chief  priests  to  bind  all  that 
call  on  thy  name.  (15)  But  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Go  thy  way :  for  he  is  a  chosen 
vessel  unto  me,  to  bear  my  name  before  the  Gentiles,  and  kings,  and  the  children  of 
Israel :  (16)  For  I  will  shew  him  how  great  things  he  must  suffer  for  my  name's  sake. 
(17)  And  Ananias  went  his  way,  and  entered  into  the  house;  and  putting  his  hands  on 
him  said,  Brother  Saul,  the  Lord,  even  Jesus,  that  appeared  unto  thee  in  the  way  as 
thou  earnest,  hath  sent  me,  that  thou  mightest  receive  thy  sight,  and  be  filled  with 
the  Holy  Ghost.  (18)  And  immediately  there  fell  from  his  eyes  as  it  had  been  scales: 
and  he  received  6ight  forthwith,  and  arose,  and  was  baptized.  (19)  And  when  he 
had  received  meat,  he  was  strengthened.  Then  was  Saul  certain  days  with  the  dis- 
ciples which  were  at  Damascus.  (20)  And  straightway  he  preached  Christ  in  the 
synagogues,  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God.— Acts  ix,  1-20. 

It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  the  conversion  of  Saul  of  Tarsus 
was  the  most  important  event  in  connection  with  the  founding  of 
the  Christian  Religion,  after  the  resurrection  of  Christ  and  the  out- 
pouring of  the  Holy  Spirit  at  Pentecost.  Historically,  there  is  not 
the  shadow  of  a  doubt  as  to  the  personality  of  Paul.  He  lived  and 
moved  and  had  his  being  in  the  midst  of  unquestioned  historical  time 

308 


THE   PERSECUTOR.  309 

and  circumstances.  There  is  also  no  doubt  that  he  was  suddenly 
converted  to  the  faith  of  Christ  and  became  the  chiefest  and  greatest 
apostle  of  the  crucified  and  Risen  Lord.  Through  the  preaching  of 
the  faith  he  once  sought  to  destroy,  he  founded  churches  and  labored 
among  them  for  a  period  of  thirty  years.  His  letters  to  these 
churches  are  still  extant,  and  are  among  the  unquestioned  treasures 
of  literature.  Whatever  else  may  be  said  of  Paul,  it  is  not  claimed 
that  he  was  either  a  fool  or  a  fanatic.  His  intellectual  strength  and 
culture  are  placed  beyond  question  by  his  writings  ;  the  intensity  and 
the  reality  of  his  convictions  are  set  forth  with  equal  distinctness  in 
those  letters ;  his  sincerity  and  enthusiasm  for  the  cause  he  devoted 
himself  to  with  such  unparalleled  consecration  are  testified  to  by 
thirty  years  of  unremitting  service  and  suffering,  which  closed  with 
the  joyous  surrender  of  his  own  life  as  his  final  testimony  to  the 
truth  of  the  Gospel.  The  story  of  his  conversion  and  his  subsequent 
career  certify  beyond  question  three  things  :  That  there  was  a  grow- 
ing and  increasing  company  of  men  and  women  in  and  about  Jeru- 
salem who  believed  that  Jesus  Christ,  whom  the  Jews  crucified,  was 
the  Messiah  of  God ;  that  this  Jesus  was  alive  from  the  dead ;  and 
that  from  his  place  in  glory  he  calls  upon  men  to  cease  their  opposi- 
tion to  God  and  become  his  disciples.  These  things  Paul  believed 
on  the  testimony  of  his  own  consciousness.  That  his  consciousness 
did  not  deceive  him  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  of  the  marvelous  change 
which  his  interview  with  Jesus  recorded  in  this  chapter  wrought  in 
him.  Moreover,  he  not  only  believed  it  himself,  but  he  was  able  so 
effectually  to  demonstrate  the  truth  that  Jesus  was  alive  from  the 
dead,  that  scores  of  churches  were  gathered  in  the  faith  of  that  res- 
urrection. To  account  for  Saul's  conversion,  his  subsequent  life  and 
labor,  and  the  fruit  of  that  labor,  on  any  other  hypothesis  than  that 
which  is  recorded  in  the  incident  which  we  are  studying  to-day,  is  to 
contradict  and  deny  every  canon  of  historical  criticism.  The  mate- 
rials for  suggestion  and  instruction  are  so  great  in  the  facts  set  forth 
before  us,  that  we  must  content  ourselves  with  glancing  at  a  few  of 
them  only ;  suggesting  that  our  readers  study  it  in  connection  with 
the  two  other  accounts  which  Paul  himself  gives  of  this  remarkable 
meeting  with  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  also  his  several  other  references  to 
it,  as  in  I.  Cor.  xv,  8,  9 ;  Gal.  i,  11-19 ;  I.  Tim.  i,  12-17. 

I.— THE    PERSECUTOR. 

We  last  saw  the  young  Saul  standing  by  and  encouraging  the  in- 
furiated mob  who  stoned  Stephen.     What  the  final  impressions  of 


310         SAUL  OF  TARSUS  CONVERTED. 

that  scene,  in  which  he  played  so  conspicuous  a  part,  were  upon  the 
mind  and  heart  of  Saul,  we  have  no  definite  means  of  knowing ;  yet 
it  is  easily  inferable  that  he  was  not  altogether  at  ease  concerning 
the  affair.  The  saintly  "bearing  of  Stephen,  his  shining  face,  his  dec- 
laration concerning  the  opened  heavens  and  his  sight  of  Jesus  at 
the  right  hand  of  God,  seem  to  have  moved  him.  But  like  others, 
both  before  and  since,  his  response  to  the  beginnings  of  conviction 
in  his  own  soul,  was  only  the  more  furiously  to  pursue  the  way 
which  was  now  doubtful  to  him.  Men  often  try  to  drown  conviction 
in  deeper  excesses  of  sin.  It  is  not  maintained  here  that  Saul  was 
deliberately  fighting  against  clear  and  certain  conviction.  He  was 
too  honest  a  soul  for  that ;  but  that  he  was  prosecuting  his  hatred  of 
Jesus  and  his  disciples  against,  and  in  the  face  of,  disturbing  doubts 
and  questions. 

1. — "Breathing  out  threatening  and  slaughter." — These  re- 
markable words  give  us  some  idea  of  the  rage  and  hate  that  pos- 
sessed the  heart  and  mind  of  this  furious  young  man.  His  heart  was 
a  furnace  of  fiery  hatred,  so  that  his  very  breath,  as  it  were,  was 
charged  with  threatening  and  slaughter.  He  had  already  been  busy 
in  his  persecution  of  the  saints  remaining  at  Jerusalem.  His  threats 
were  loud  and  deep.  He  was  a  very  Claverhouse  for  fierceness. 
The  prisons  were  full  of  his  victims ;  and  now  he  secures  a  commis- 
sion from  the  chief  priests,  and  an  escort  from  the  temple  guard,  and 
proceeds  to  Damascus,  where  there  seems  to  have  been  already  a 
considerable  company  of  believers.  His  intentions  had  already  pre- 
ceded him  thither,  for  he  had  made  no  concealment  of  his  purpose  to 
harry  the  young  Church  to  death.  It  is  difficult  for  us  to  imagine 
that  the  gentle  and  saintly  apostle  to  the  Gentiles,  who  "  counted 
not  his  life  dear  "  to  himself  in  the  service  of  his  Master  and  the  very 
least  of  the  disciples,  could  have  ever  been  this  blood-thirsty  tiger  of 
persecution,  blaspheming  that  Name  which  he  afterward  so  loved, 
and  causing  others  to  do  so.  Truly  God  had  changed  the  Ethio- 
pian's skin,  and  the  very  nature,  as  well  as  the  spots,  of  the  fierce 
blood-loving  leopard. 

2. — The  arrest. — His  journey  was  almost  finished.  He,  with  his 
party,  was  already  in  the  very  suburbs  of  Damascus.  We  fancy 
Saul  riding  at  the  head  of  his  small  troop,  silent  and  thoughtful. 
The  scenes  enacted  at  the  death  of  Stephen  are  before  his  eyes ;  the 
words  of  Stephen  are  flowing  through  his  mind.  That  masterly  re- 
view of  Jewish  history  is  again  passing  before  his  thought.  The 
death  of  the  Martyr  and  his  manifest  sight  of  Jesus  in  heaven  are 
again  before  him,  his  soul  is  already  shaken  with  conviction,  or  at 


THE   PERSECUTOR.  311 

least  with  doubt.  While  thus  absorbed  in  thought,  yet  following  his 
purpose,  suddenly  there  shined  round  about  him  a  light  from  heaven  ; 
a  voice  spoke  to  him  in  solemn  remonstrance  and  warning,  and  he 
trembling,  already  half  persuaded  in  his  mind  that  Jesus  was  alive 
from  the  dead,  fell  to  the  ground  in  an  amazement  of  wonder,  con- 
viction, and  holy  fear.  Thus  was  Saul  arrested  by  the  Lord  Jesus 
himself.  Are  we  not  to  learn  from  this  that  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  aro 
upon  us  all,  and  that  his  presence  is  not  far  from  any  one  of  us  ?  He 
may  not,  he  does  not,  approach  men  in  this  way  now,  for  there  is 
not  the  same  need,  but  it  is  certain  that,  in  some  way  or  other,  at 
some  time  or  other,  Jesus  Christ  does,  either  by  Word,  or  Spirit,  or 
Providence,  administered  by  minister,  parent,  friend,  or  stranger,  on 
a  journey  or  at  home,  in  the  daytime  or  during  the  night  watches, 
by  blessing  or  adversity,  meet  every  man  with  this  solemn  word 
of  arrest,  and  call  upon  him  for  a  reason  why  he  should  continue 
his  opposition  to  Jesus  who  died  for  him  and  rose  again?  It  is 
noticeable  that  this  appearance  of  Jesus  to  Saul  was  personal.  The 
men  who  were  journeying  with  him  heard  the  voice,  but  saw  not 
Jesus ;  they  saw  the  light,  but  heard  not  the  words  that  were  spoken 
to  him  (xii,  9) ;  but  Saul  saw  the  light  and  heard  the  voice  ;  he  saw 
Jesus  and  heard  his  words  clearly  and  distinctly  spoken  to  him. 
God's  call  to  us  is  individual.  A  multitude  may  sit  in  some  church 
and  hear  the  sound  of  the  words  and  get  some  glimpse  of  the  light 
of  the  truth,  but  they  hear  not  the  very  voice  of  Jesus  speaking  to 
them,  nor  do  they  see  the  glorified  Saviour  standing  before  them ;  yet 
one  or  two  in  that  whole  audience  may  both  see  and  hear  as  Saul 
did,  so  far  as  their  individual  apprehension  is  concerned.  That  turn 
comes  to  all  men  sooner  or  later.  Happy  the  man  or  woman  who  is 
not  disobedient  to  the  heavenly  vision. 

3. — The  indictment. — "Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me?" 
This  was  the  indictment  which  was  spoken  to  him.  Only  when  God 
speaks  to  us  out  of  heaven  do  we  come  to  know  that  heaven  and 
earth  are  not  divorced  in  their  relations.  What  we  do  on  earth  is, 
in  a  sense,  done  in  heaven.  Saul  was  persecuting  the  saints  on 
earth  ;  he  was  now  to  learn  that  he  was  in  fact  persecuting  the  Risen 
Christ  in  Glory.  David  cruelly  entreated  his  friend  and  shamefully 
dishonored  his  friend's  wife  ;  he  had  subsequently  to  learn  that  it  was 
against  God,  and  God  only,  that  he  was  sinning  and  doing  this  evil. 
(Ps.  li,  4. )  The  attitude  of  men  toward  the  people  of  God — tow- 
ard the  Word  of  God — is  their  attitude  toward  God  himself.  The 
invisible  world  of  Jesus  Christ  penetrates  this  at  every  point,  and 
we  are  dealing  with  God  always  when  we  are  dealing  with  men 


312         SAUL  OF  TARSUS  CONVERTED. 

and  things  down  here.  This  is  seriously  worth  our  laying  deeply 
to  heart. 

4. — The  entreaty. — "It  is  hard  for  thee  to  kick  against  the 
pricks."  These  words  were  spoken  by  Jesus  to  Saul  in  the  spirit  of 
entreaty  as  well  as  of  warning.  Men  can  fight  against  God ;  they  can 
resist  his  goodness,  his  grace,  and  his  mercy.  Men  can  become  in- 
fidels, agnostics,  and  atheists ;  hut  it  is  hard  for  them  to  do  so. 
They  have  to  study  and  work,  to  attain  such  unfaith.  Men  can  re- 
sist the  convictions  of  truth  which  God  sends  forth  by  the  preaching 
of  his  word,  but  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  smother  conviction  and 
harden  the  heart  against  God.  Yet  it  can  be  done  ;  it  has  been  done, 
and  is  being  done  every  day.  On  the  other  hand,  when  one  has  suc- 
ceeded in  kicking  against  God's  mercy  and  goodness,  the  task  is  not 
finished.  Then  the  soul  must  stand  against  his  justice  and  judg- 
ment. Jesus  is  offered  to  men  in  two  characters :  that  of  Saviour 
and  that  of  Judge.  If  men  refuse  him  as  a  Saviour,  then  they  must 
deal  with  him  as  a  Judge.  It  is  impossible  (though  hard)  to  resist 
him  as  Saviour.  It  is  absolutely  impossible  (not  only  hard)  to  resist 
him  as  Judge.  Why  shall  we  not  be  wise,  all  of  us,  and  "  Kiss  the 
Son,"  lest  the  anger  of  God  be  kindled  against  us  while  we  are  in  the 
way  of  sin  and  disobedience  ? 

5. — The  surrender. — "What  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do?"  This 
came  after  the  preceding  question  :  "  Who  art  thou,  Lord  ?  "  and  the 
answer:  "I  am  Jesus,  whom  thou  persecuteth."  Saul  was  already 
shaken  in  his  soul.  The  words  and  testimony  of  Stephen  had  made 
a  powerful  impression  upon  him.  He  was  subjectively  in  a  condition 
to  receive  this  revelation  of  Jesus.  In  an  instant  his  convictions 
came  to  a  head  and  he  knew  that  Jesus,  whom  he  was  blaspheming, 
and  persecuting  in  the  persons  of  his  saints,  was  indeed  alive  from 
the  dead ;  and  was  standing  before  him  and  speaking  to  him.  His 
decision  was  taken  in  an  instant.  "  What  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?  " 
was  the  cry  and  the  question  of  a  soul  already  surrendered.  As  soon 
as  Saul  was  convinced  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ  and  that  he  was 
confronting  him,  so  soon  did  he  unconditionally  surrender  to  him. 
This  is  the  very  secret  of  conversion  ;  it  is  conversion.  The  whole 
secret  of  the  Christian  life  is  in  this  attitude  of  unconditional  sur- 
render to  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  more  than  surrender — it  is  submission  ; 
it  is  more  than  submission — it  is  acquiescence  ;  it  is  more  than  ac- 
quiescence— it  is  the  union  of  the  will  of  the  surrendered  soul  with 
the  will  of  the  conquering  Saviour.  "  Henceforth  it  shall  be,  Thy  will 
and  not  mine  that  I  will  seek  to  do."  No  doubt,  as  we  have  already 
intimated,  mental  convictions  and  external  circumstances  had  been 


THE   CONVERT.  313 

leading  Saul  up  to  this  point ;  but  his  final  conversion  was  instan- 
taneous. In  a  moment  he  experiences  a  complete  change  of  mind ; 
a  change  of  heart ;  and  a  change  of  purpose  which  was  potentially  a 
change  of  conduct.  In  these  changes  we  see  repentance,  the  new 
birth,  and  conversion.  What  will  you  do  who  have  not  yet  sur- 
rendered to  Christ?  Why :  "Repent,  believe  the  gospel ;  "  surrender 
instantly  to  Jesus  and  give  yourselves  up  to  God  in  an  entire,  and 
irrevocable,  consecration  to  his  service  and  glory.  This  is  Christian- 
ity, or  rather,  Christ  in  the  soul  and  life. 

II.— THE     CONVERT. 

It  is  true  that  the  work  of  conversion  was  complete  ;  but  it  is  not 
all  of  grace  to  be  converted.  A  boy  may  matriculate  for  the  Uni- 
versity, and  yet  he  has  all  his  studies  before  him ;  or,  better  still,  for 
illustration.  Lazarus  was  fully  alive  and  raised  from  the  dead  by 
the  word  of  Jesus,  yet  he  was  bound  about  with  grave-clothes. 
Saul  was  converted,  and  yet  there  was  still  much  for  him  to  learn 
and  further  experiences  to  go  through  with. 

1. — Led  into  Damascus. — How  different  was  his  entrance  into  the 
city  from  that  which  he  had  planned  when  he  started  from  Jeru- 
salem !  He  had  purposed  going  in  like  a  lion,  and  behold,  he  is  led 
in  like  a  lamb.  The  wolf's  nature  was  changed.  The  persecutor 
was  a  young  convert.  He  was  a  masterful  man  in  himself,  yet  now 
he  was  a  little  child  who  needed  to  be  led.  The  light  that  had  con- 
verted him  had  also  blinded  him.  We  can  understand  in  what  a 
state  of  mental  confusion  as  well  as  physical  disability  he  was.  The 
transition  from  darkness  to  light  was  no  greater  than  the  sudden 
revolution  that  had  taken  place  in  his  whole  mental  and  spiritual 
nature.  It  is  supposed  by  some  that  the  flash  of  glory,  in  which  the 
Lord  Jesus  appeared  to  him,  had  in  a  measure  scaled  his  eyes  as 
with  a  sudden  flame  of  fire,  and  that  he  never  entirely  recovered  the 
effects  of  it ;  that  this  physical  result  of  his  sight  of  Jesus  in  Glory 
was  that  brand  in  his  body  which  he  subsequently  so  gloried  in. 
For  three  days  and  nights  he  was  without  sight,  neither  did  he  eat 
or  drink.  These  were  days  of  revelation  and  power  to  him.  In 
them  he  was  found  praying,  and  though  without  sight,  he  yet  saw 
visions.  What  things  it  is  possible  for  a  man  to  see  in  three  days  ! 
What  light  may  have  been  poured  into  his  soul !  The  whole  truth 
concerning  Jesus  came  to  him  out  of  the  Scriptures — the  whole  plan 
of  salvation.  Perhaps  it  was  during  those  three  days  that  he  re- 
ceived that  Gospel  which  he  preached  to  the  Gentiles,  and  which  he 


314         SAUL  OF  TARSUS  CONVERTED. 

declared  was  shown  to  him  directly  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
not  by  the  apostles  or  brethren  at  Jerusalem.  It  was  then  that  he 
got  the  first  intimation  of  his  ultimate  work  among  the  people — not 
Jews — among  whom  he  spent  almost  the  whole  of  his  life. 

2. — The  ministry  of  Ananias. — In  Damascus  there  was  a  disciple, 
— not  an  apostle,  not  a  "Bishop,"  nor  even  so  much  as  a  deacon, — 
named  Ananias ;  to  whom  the  Lord  communicated  in  a  vision,  tell- 
ing him  of  Saul  and  the  condition  he  was  in,  and  that  he  had  ap- 
pointed him  to  go  and  lay  his  hands  on  him,  that  he  might  receive 
his  sight  and  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit.  Now,  it  is  a  notable 
fact  that  this  man,  Saul,  who  became  the  greatest  of  the  apostles,  re- 
ceived his  "  fullness  "  ministerially,  not  from  a  bishop,  or  from  one 
of  the  apostles,  but  from  a  simple  disciple  concerning  whom  we  only 
know  the  name.  The  apostles  attempted  to  fill  the  vacancy  of  Judas 
in  their  way,  but  it  was  a  dismal  failure.  Here  was  the  first  man  in 
the  apostolic  succession  who  received  his  ordination  from  a  layman. 
But  then,  perhaps,  some  will  say  that  Paul  was  not  in  the  "  histor- 
ical succession."  For  our  part,  we  are  content  to  take  our  succes- 
sion as  Paul  got  his,  by  the  hands  of  any  disciple  whom  the  Lord 
appoints.  Ananias  was  loath  to  go  to  Saul,  for  he  already  knew  of 
him  by  reputation,  and  was  well  aware  of  his  purpose  in  coming  to 
Damascus.  The  Lord,  however,  showed  to  him  that  all  was  changed, 
for  "behold  he  prayeth."  He  need  not  be  afraid  of  a  man  that 
prayeth,  especially  when  he  has  been  just  converted  to  Jesus.  Be- 
sides, the  Lord  pointed  out  to  Ananias  the  fact  that  he  was  a  chosen 
vessel  for  a  special  mission,  far  hence  to  the  Gentiles.  This  inci- 
dent should  lead  us  to  hope  and  pray  for  the  worst  enemies  of 
Christ.  Perhaps,  if  we  should  pray  for  great  persecutors  more  and 
fear  them  less,  we  would  have  more  Pauls  in  the  ranks  of  the  minis- 
try. Being  thus  assured,  Ananias  went  to  Saul,  nothing  doubting 
and  fearing,  with  no  resentment  in  his  heart  for  his  past  wicked- 
nesses, with  no  coldness  or  spirit  of  patronage,  but  lovingly,  with  a 
welcome  in  his  heart  as  in  his  words :  "  Brother  Saul,  the  Lord,  even 
Jesus,  hath  sent  me,  that  thou  mightest  receive  thy  sight  and  be 
filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost."  We  do  not  know  the  exact  relationship 
between  human  ministry  and  spiritual  gifts.  Saul  was  converted 
and  fully  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  yet  it  is  evident  that  he 
had  to  receive  other  and  more  gifts  at  the  hands  of  a  human  minis- 
try. God  and  the  Lord  Jesus  are  undoubtedly  able  to  do  without  us, 
but  it  is  equally  certain  that  they  have  chosen  not  to  do  so.  There 
are  men  and  women  younger  and  older  all  around  us  who  have  been 
smitten  down  by  the  word  and  Spirit  of  God,  who  yet  await  our  com- 


THE   PREACHER.  315 

ing  to  them,  that  they  may  receive  their  sight  and  be  filled  with  the 
Holy  Spirit.  We  learn  also  that  the  filling  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  a 
blessing  which  is,  or  at  least  may  be,  subsequent  to  conversion,  and 
may  not  come  upon  us  until  days  after  we  have  been  in  entire  sur- 
render.    "Have  ye  received  the  Holy  Ghost  since  ye  believed?" 

3. — A  chosen  vessel. — All  God's  converts  are  chosen  vessels, 
though  not  all  are  chosen  to  such  high  and  suffering  work  as  Saul 
was  destined  to.  He  was  not  only  chosen,  but  he  was  a  "  choice  " 
vessel  unto  God.  Never  had  he  such  another  servant.  None  have 
risen  since  Paul  who  have  so  completely  and  grandly  served  Christ. 
No  prejudice  hindered  him  as  it  did  Peter ;  no  sufferings  daunted 
him ;  no  danger  held  him  back ;  no  coldness  on  the  part  of  his  breth- 
ren, or  ingratitude  on  the  part  of  his  spiritual  children,  checked  his 
enthusiasm,  or  dampened  his  zeal.  His  life  and  work  is,  next  to 
that  of  Christ's,  the  greatest  source  of  inspiration  and  the  best  guide 
to  service.  It  ought  to  be  noted  that,  in  choosing  him  to  bear  his 
name  before  Gentiles  and  kings  and  the  children  of  Israel,  Jesus 
also  showed  him  how  great  things  he  must  suffer  for  his  name's  sake. 
Now  all  service  entails  suffering,  but,  as  a  rule,  those  who  are 
chosen  to  high  service  are  also  fitted  for  that  high  service  by  suffer- 
ing, either  before  or  in  the  work.  Many  of  us  would  like  to  have 
the  high  service,  but  shrink  from  the  suffering ;  but  Paul  seemed  to 
glory  in  his  sufferings  for  Christ's  sake  as  much  as  he  did  in  his 
service.  The  ministry  of  Ananias  ended  with  the  baptism  of  Saul. 
Baptism  did  not  make  Saul  a  child  of  God,  nor  did  it  communicate 
any  grace  to  him,  so  far  as  the  record  shows,  but  it  did  declare  on 
his  part  that  he  had  received  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  that  hence- 
forth he  belonged  to  Jesus  Christ. 

m.— THE     PREACHER. 

After  tarrying  in  quietness  and  in  fellowship  for  several  days 
with  the  disciples  which  were  at  Damascus,  he  boldly  began  his  work 
by  entering  into  the  synagogues  and  "preaching  Christ  that  he  is  the 
Son  of  God."  This  was  the  great  foundation  truth  of  the  Gospel. 
It  was  the  truth  which  God  announced  concerning  Jesus  even  be- 
fore he  was  born.  It  was  reaffirmed  at  his  baptism ;  it  was  chal- 
lenged by  the  devil  in  the  wilderness  ;  it  was  demonstrated  by  Jesus 
in  his  mighty  works,  especially  at  the  raising  of  Lazarus.  It  was 
for  so  declaring  himself  that  he  was  indicted  for  blasphemy,  and 
because  he  would  not  deny  it,  but  affirmed  it  under  oath,  he  was  put 
to  death.     On  the  cross  he  was  taunted  with  being  the  "  Son  of  God." 


316         SAUL  OF  TARSUS  CONVERTED. 

For  a  little  while  the  grave  seemed  to  demonstrate  him  either  an 
impostor  or  a  self -deceived  man ;  but  his  resurrection  from  the  dead 
"declared  him  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with  power."  (Rom.  i,  4.)  It 
was  this  truth  seen  by  Nathaniel,  by  Martha,  by  Peter,  which  led 
them  to  confess  Christ ;  it  was  this  truth  that  constituted  the  burden 
of  the  preaching  of  Peter  and  Stephen ;  it  was  this  that  Philip 
preached  to  the  eunuch ;  it  was  this  truth  that  now  fired  the  heart  of 
Saul  and  made  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures  glow  and  shine  with 
meaning ;  and  it  was  this  that  ever  enabled  him  to  do  and  dare  for 
Christ.  In  the  absence  of  this  sublime  truth  the  Gospel  can  only  be 
a  pleasant  tale,  a  passing  delusion,  without  power  either  in  word  or 
for  life  to  the  soul.  Not  until  we  can  say  with  Martha  and  with 
Peter,  "Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  Living  God,"  can  we 
truly  say  that  we  are  his  disciples.  Not  until  we  fully  preach  and 
teach  this  sublime  and  blessed  truth  do  we  preach  the  "  good  news 
of  God  concerning  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  born  after  the  seed 
of  David  according  to  the  flesh,  and  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God, 
with  power  according  to  the  Spirit  of  Holiness,  by  the  resurrection 
from  the  dead."     (Rom.  i,  4.) 


October  9,  1892. 


XLI. 

DORCAS    RAISED  TO    LIFE.— Acts  ix,  32-43. 

(3.2)  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  Feter  passed  throughout  all  quarters,  he  came  down 
also  to  the  saints  which  dwelt  at  Lydda.  (.33)  And  there  he  found  a  certain  man  named 
Eneas,  which  had  kept  his  bed  eight  years,  and  was  sick  of  the  palsy.  (34)  And  Peter 
said  unto  him,  Eneas,  Jesus  Christ  maketh  thee  whole :  arise,  and  make  thy  bed. 
And  he  arose  immediately.  (35)  And  all  that  dwelt  in  Lydda  and  Saron  saw  him,  and 
turned  to  the  Lord.  (36)  Now  there  was  at  Joppa  a  certain  disciple  named  Tabitha, 
which  hy  interpretation  is  called  Dorcas:  this  woman  was  full  of  good  works  and 
almsdeeds  which  she  did.  (37)  And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  that  she  was  sick, 
and  died:  whom  when  they  had  washed,  they  laid  her  in  an  upper  chamber.  (38) 
And  forasmuch  as  Lydda  was  nigh  to  Joppa,  and  the  disciples  had  heard  that  Peter 
was  there,  they  sent  unto  him  two  men,  desiring  him  that  he  would  not  delay  to  come 
to  them.  (39)  Then  Peter  arose  and  went  with  them.  When  he  was  come,  they 
brought  him  into  the  upper  chamber:  and  all  of  the  widows  stood  by  him  weeping, 
and  shewing  the  coats  and  garments  which  Dorcas  made,  while  she  was  with 
them.  (40)  But  Peter  put  them  all  forth,  and  kneeled  down,  and  prayed;  and  turn- 
ing him  to  the  body  said,  Tabitha,  arise.  And  she  opened  her  eyes:  and  when  she 
saw  Peter,  she  sat  up.  (41)  And  he  gave  her  his  hand,  and  lifted  her  up;  and  when 
he  had  called  the  saints  and  widows,  he  presented  her  alive.  (42)  And  it  was  known 
throughout  all  Joppa;  and  many  believed  in  the  Lord.  (43)  And  it  came  to  pass, 
that  he  tarried  many  days  in  Joppa  with  one  Simon  a  tanner.— Acts  ix,  32-43. 

After  the  conversion  of  Saul  the  hot  spirit  of  persecution  cooled 
off,  and  gradually  ceased  altogether.  The  churches  throughout  all 
Judea  and  Galilee  and  Samaria  had  rest,  and  were  built  up  in  the 
faith.  No  doubt  the  apostles  and  brethren  who  had  been  gifted  to 
teach  went  from  place  to  place,  visiting  the  believers,  instructing, 
and  comforting  them  with  the  word  of  God,  and  helping  to  consoli- 
date their  young  societies.  It  was  at  this  time  that  the  churches 
began  to  take  on  form.  Hitherto  the  believers  had  come  together, 
drawn  by  a  common  affinity ;  but  now  these  unorganized  companies 
took  shape  and  form,  each  one  becoming  the  center  of  Christian  ac- 
tivity in  the  town,  or  village  or  city  where  it  was.  Though  we  hear 
of  no  pastors  or  teachers,  yet  no  doubt  there  were  brethren  in  every 
place  who,  by  natural  gift  and  special  spiritual  enduement,  took 
the  lead  of  things  and  became,  if  not  in  form,  at  least  in  fact,  pas- 
tors. This  period  may  be  reckoned  as  the  beginning  of  the  second 
epoch  in  the  history  of  the  Church.     Hitherto  there  had  been  a  storm 

317 


318  DORCAS  RAISED   TO  LIFE. 

of  persecution,  which  culminated  in  the  martyrdom  of  Stephen. 
Now  came  rest  and  a  breathing  spell.  God  often  carries  his  Church 
and  people  through  a  storm  of  trial,  but  he  does  not  forget  them, 
and  will  not  suffer  them  to  be  tried  beyond  that  which  they  are  able 
to  bear.  He  deals  with  churches  and  individuals  much  in  the  same 
way.  After  the  storm  comes  the  calm.  We  shall  be  wise  if  we 
know  how  to  use  the  calm  for  edification  and  consolidation. 

I.— PETER  ON  TOUR. 

No  doubt  the  other  apostles  were  busy  in  their  sphere  as  well  as 
was  Peter ;  but  for  some  reason  their  activity  does  not  come  under 
the  notice,  certainly  not  under  the  recording  eye  and  hand  of  Luke, 
who  practically  confines  his  record  to  the  doings  of  Paul  and  Peter, 
and  those  brethren  who  were  immediately  associated  with  them. 
That  which  is  recorded  of  Peter  just  here,  is  preliminary  to  that 
which  will  be  specially  recorded  of  Paul.  In  fact,  this  record  re- 
lates to  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  among  the  Gentiles  ;  and  in  this 
field  the  other  apostles  seemed  not  to  have  wrought,  at  least  not  at 
this  time.  We  have  seen  Peter  hitherto  in  the  fore  front  of  the  work 
of  the  Lord.  First  preaching  the  word  at  Pentecost ;  then  healing 
the  lame  man  ;  defending  his  action  before  the  Jews  and  exalting  the 
name  of  Jesus,  whom  they  crucified,  while  boldly  charging  his 
murder  upon  them ;  accepting  rebuke,  but  refusing  to  be  silent  in 
the  matter  of  that  they  had  seen  and  heard ;  choosing  to  obey  God 
rather  than  man ;  taking  punishment  even  with  stripes  and  impris- 
onment gladly ;  and  promptly  resuming  work  as  soon  as  delivered 
again.  Now  we  see  him  turning  away  from  Jerusalem  to  go  on  tour 
among  the  small  churches  in  the  smaller  cities  and  villages  of  Judea, 
Samaria,  and  Galilee.  In  the  course  of  this  visitation  he  comes 
down  to  the  sea-coast,  some  thirty  miles  away  from  Jerusalem,  and 
visits  these  three  towns  :  Lydda,  Saron,  and  Joppa.  The  Gospel  of 
Jesus  had  made  its  way  into  the  villages  and  taken  root  among  the 
humble  folk  there.  It  is  worth  while  remembering  that  the  roots  of 
the  Christian  religion  have  always  been  among  the  common,  if  not 
always  the  very  poor,  people,  and  in  the  villages.  It  is  one  of  our 
modern  mistakes  that  we  neglect  village  work.  Here  are  the  people, 
especially  the  young  people,  who  are  to  become  the  future  ministers, 
elders,  deacons,  and  other  office-bearers  of  the  city  churches.  It  is 
a  fatal  mistake  to  wait  till  the  country  lads  and  lassies  come  to  the 
cities  before  endeavoring  to  save  them  to  God  and  train  them  for 
service.     Peter  was  wise  in  visiting  the  country  towns. 


PETER  ON   TOUR.  319 

1. — The  saints  which  dwelt  at  Lydda. — This  is  the  title  by  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  designates  the  believers  in  these  towns,  and  indeed 
all  over  the  country  wherever  the  disciples  dwelt.  The  "saints" 
is  the  common  designation  of  God's  people.  Not  that  they  were  ab- 
solutely perfect  or  sinless,  but  that  they  had  been  separated  by  the 
Gospel  from  the  great  mass  of  sinners,  and  were  in  a  peculiar  sense 
God's  people,  sanctified  or  separated  unto  him.  Then  they  were 
saints  in  character,  as  compared  with  the  unbelieving  world  about 
them ;  and  they  were  saints  potentially,  for  God  will  not  leave  the 
least  and  most  unpromising  one  of  his  people,  in  whom  he  has  begun 
a  good  work,  until  he  set  him  down  perfect  and  without  spot  before 
him  in  that  day  of  revelation  and  glory.  The  writer  of  the  Epistle 
to  the  Hebrews  addresses  them  as  "Holy  Brethren,"  while  the  very 
occasion  for  his  epistle  was  that  they  were  all  on  the  very  verge  of 
apostasy.  The  fact  is,  that  "  saints  "  is  the  proper  name  for  Chris- 
tian men  and  women.  We  all  hesitate  and  shrink  from  being  called 
saints,  for  most  of  us  know  that  we  have  not  saintly  characters,  and 
feel  as  though  the  name  were  out  of  place  as  applied  to  us.  "We 
hesitate  either  to  call  ourselves  saints,  or  to  allow  other  people  to  do 
so,  because  we  know  there  is  that  in  our  lives  which  is  unsaintly, 
and  we  are  not  courageous  enough  to  put  the  evil  thing  away,  and 
then  think  it  a  mark  of  humility  that  we  refuse  the  name  of  saint. 
"I  am  no  saint,"  said  a  church  member  in  my  presence  one  day, 
"and  don't  pretend  to  be  one  of  these  sanctified  ones  "  ;  and  then  he 
began  to  swear,  just  as  though,  because  he  was  not  a  "saint,"  he 
was  justified  in  blaspheming  God's  name.  There  are  those  who  as- 
sume that  there  is  no  obligation  upon  them  to  live  holy  lives  unless 
they  assume  the  name  of  saints.  God  gives  us  that  name  because 
he  has  called  us  to  holiness,  and  shows  us  in  Jesus  what  he  means 
by  holiness  and  saintliness.  It  is  not  so  much  that  we  should  live 
up  to  the  name  as  that  we  should  allow  the  name  and  the  power  of 
God  through  it  to  lift  us  into  holiness.  The  world  needs  a  Church 
of  saints  to-day  more  than  it  ever  needed  it  before.  Whenever  we 
shall  have  the  courage  boldly  to  take  the  name  again,  and  let  that 
name  shine  out  and  through  us  in  true  holiness,  we  shall  have  again 
the  great  power  of  God  among  us. 

2. — A  certain  man  named  JEneas. — We  do  not  know  anything 
about  this  man  except  that  he  lived  at  Lydda,  and  had  been  confined 
to  his  bed  by  palsy  for  eight  years.  Whether  he  was  one  of  the 
saints,  or  an  unbeliever,  we  do  not  know.  He  is  not  spoken  of  as  a 
disciple,  and  yet  it  seems  most  likely  that  he  was  one.  We  do  not 
know  whether  he  sought  the  healing,  or  whether  it  was  a  case  in 


320  DORCAS   RAISED   TO  LIFE. 

which  Peter,  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  suggested  and  wrought  the 
healing  as  an  unasked  gift  of  Christ.  In  any  case,  Peter  was  moved 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  to  work  this  miracle  for  the  happiness  of  the  poor 
man  himself ;  for  the  strengthening  of  the  faith  of  the  saints  ;  for  the 
conversion  of  many  unbelievers,  and  for  the  glory  of  God.  This 
was  not  the  first  miracle  Peter  had  wrought,  as  we  know  from  the 
earlier  record  in  this  book ;  yet  we  see  the  same  absence  of  self  in  it 
and  the  same  reference  of  all  power  to  Jesus  Christ.  "J^neas, 
Jesus  Christ  maketh  thee  whole  ;  arise  and  make  thy  bed."  He  would 
have  the  man  to  know  at  once  that  it  was  Jesus  Christ,  and  not  him- 
self, who  wrought  the  miracle.  He  would  have  him  know  that  the 
work  was  not  one  of  promise,  but  of  immediate  accomplishment. 
He  would  have  him  demonstrate  the  reality  of  the  miracle  himself 
by  arising  and  making  his  bed.  That  the  man  had  faith  to  believe 
the  word  which  Peter  spoke  to  him  is  seen  in  the  fact  that  he  im- 
mediately arose  in  obedience  to  Peter's  word.  The  great  probability 
is  that  there  was  still  a  strong  current  of  denial  as  to  the  truth  of 
Christ's  resurrection  in  these  Jewish  villages,  and  it  was  still  neces- 
sary for  some  strong  and  irresistible  demonstration  of  the  present 
and  living  power  of  Christ  to  be  made.  The  opposition  to  the  Gos- 
pel was  still  strongly  entrenched  behind  custom  and  prejudice,  and 
it  was  thus  to  be  removed.  In  our  time,  with  nineteen  hundred 
years  of  demonstrated  spiritual  and  moral  power,  we  do  not  need 
such  demonstrations.  Christianity  is  its  own  demonstration.  As 
the  Bible  is  a  more  sure  word  of  prophecy  than  the  audible  word  of 
God  from  heaven,  so  is  the  life  of  Christ  in  believers  a  greater  mir- 
acle than  the  healing  of  the  sick  would  be. 

3. — The  effect  of  the  miracle. — This  miracle  went  beyond  the 
man  himself  who  was  healed.  "All  that  dwelt  in  Lydda  and  Saron 
saw  him  and  turned  to  the  Lord."  Not  every  man  and  woman,  liter- 
ally considered,  but  a  vast  number  of  the  inhabitants.  God's  good 
works  never  terminate  with  themselves.  No  man  was  ever  yet  truly 
converted  but  that  his  conversion  affected  some  one  else.  So  in  this 
case.  No  doubt  a  multitude  of  people  in  these  two  villages  were 
halting  between  two  opinions.  When  they  saw  the  man  iEneas,  whom 
they  all  knew,  well  of  that  eight  years'  palsy,  and  knew  that  the  cure 
was  instantly  wrought  without  human  means  by  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  their  hesitancy  yielded  to  faith,  and  they  turned  to  the  Lord. 
This  miracle  was  as  powerful  a  sermon  in  its  way  as  Peter's  sermon 
on  Pentecost.  The  name  of  Jesus  was  proclaimed  and  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  was  present  to  heal. 


THE   RAISING   OF   DORCAS   TO  LIFE.  321 


II.— THE   RAISING   OF  DORCAS   TO  LIFE. 

Joppa  was  about  eight  miles  off  from  the  village  of  Lydda.  Here 
also  was  a  young  church.  In  that  church  was  a  woman  whose  name 
was  Tabitha,  which  being  interpreted  was  called  Dorcas,  which 
means  Gazelle.  The  name  was  doubtless  given  to  this  woman  on 
account  of  some  peculiarity  of  character.  Perhaps  her  grace  of  per- 
son and  beauty  of  face  or  eyes.  At  any  rate,  she  was  a  disciple  of 
Christ  and  had  found  her  place  in  the  Church,  and  filled  it  wonder- 
fully well. 

1. — Full  of  good  works  and  alms-deeds. — There  was  in  those 
early  days  great  need  and  destitution  among  the  disciples.  In  the 
first  place,  the  multitude  of  the  disciples  were  from  among  the  poor ; 
and  then  again  there  is  scarcely  a  doubt  but  that  their  attachment 
to  Christ  increased  for  the  time  being  their  poverty,  by  arraying 
against  them  the  more  well-to-do  and  influential  class.  No  doubt 
many  of  them  were  cast  out  of  their  homes  for  their  faith.  From 
the  beginning  there  seem  to  have  been  many  widows  in  the  Church. 
These  were  peculiarly  poor,  having  no  natural  supporters  and  pro- 
tectors, and  probably  were  among  the  first  to  be  cast  off  by  their  rel- 
atives on  account  of  their  faith.  At  any  rate,  among  this  class  of 
needy  women,  this  good  woman  found  her  occupation  and  ministry. 
She  does  not  seem  to  have  been  a  woman  of  wealth,  and  yet  she  had 
some  resources,  for  she  seems  to  have  supplied  the  material,  as  well 
as  the  work,  which  went  to  clothe  the  poor  widows.  It  is  remark- 
able of  her  that  she  is  the  first  person  named  in  the  history  of  the 
Church  who  turned  her  hand  to  this  kind  of  practical  charity.  It 
is  also  remarkable  that  in  this  we  have  a  demonstration  of  that  spirit 
of  love  and  unity  that  sprang  up  with  the  first  outpouring  of  the 
Spirit.  The  men  at  Jerusalem  sold  their  possessions,  and  brought 
them  and  laid  them  at  the  apostles'  feet,  that  the  price  of  them 
might  be  distributed  among  the  more  needy  of  the  disciples.  Here 
the  spirit  of  self-sacrifice  seems  to  have  taken  on  a  different  form, 
and  Dorcas  became  the  administrator  of  her  own  charity.  She  is 
said  to  have  been  "full  of  good  works  and  alms-deeds,  which  she 
did."  Now  God  has  called  us  unto  good  works,  not  as  a  meritorious 
condition  of  acceptance  with  him,  but  as  an  exhibition  of  his  life  in 
us  to  the  world.  The  spirit  of  good  works  seems  to  have  filled  the 
heart  of  this  good  woman,  as  some  of  the  apostles  were  said  to  have 
been  full  of  faith  and  the  Holy  Spirit.  Before  a  good  work  can  be 
done  with  the  hands  it  must  be  formed  in  the  heart.     A  mere  formal 


322  DORCAS   RAISED   TO  LIFE. 

act  of  beneficence  is  not  a  good  work.  Good  works  come  from  the 
heart  and  pass  through  the  hand.  We  must  look  at  the  roots  of  so- 
called  charitable  actions  before  we  can  judge  of  their  quality.  It 
was  in  the  heart  of  this  woman  to  "do  good" ;  and  not  only  a  little 
good,  but  she  was  "full  of  good  works."  The  Spirit  of  God  had 
made  her  "perfect  unto  every  good  work  to  do  his  will"  (Heb.  xiii, 
21);  and  therefore  she  was  "steadfast,  immovable,  always  abound- 
ing in  the  work  of  the  Lord."  (I.  Cor.  xv,  58.)  Notice  the  word: 
"alms-deeds."  There  are  a  great  many  good  people  who  are  willing 
to  give  alms  who  are  never  ready  to  do  alms-deeds.  Half  the  beauty 
and  power  of  Christian  charity  is  in  the  personality  of  its  adminis- 
tration. To  administer  your  own  charity  is  to  make  it  go  twice  as 
far  in  the  way  of  blessing  at  least.  To  give  money  to  feed  the 
hungry  and  clothe  the  naked  is  good,  but  to  carry  the  food  with  your 
own  hand  and  give  it  with  loving  words,  and  manifest  Christian  fel- 
lowship, is  infinitely  better ;  to  give  money  to  buy  clothes  is  good, 
but  for  Christian  women,  who  have  both  means  and  leisure,  to  cut 
out  and  make  and  then  bestow,  with  their  own  hands  and  with  lov- 
ing words  of  fellowship,  the  garments  so  made,  is  infinitely  better. 
To  give  money  to  send  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen  is  good,  but  to  go 
to  the  heathen  one's  self  when  it  is  possible  is  better.  We  cannot 
always  administer  our  own  charity,  but  when  we  can,  let  us  do  it. 
It  is  certain  that  we  can  do  our  alms  much  oftener  than  we  do. 

2. — The  sickness  and  death  of  Dorcas. — It  was  a  strange  Provi- 
dence that  took  away  this  good  woman  from  the  Church,  and  es- 
pecially from  these  poor  women.  We  are  often  sorely  perplexed  and 
tried  because  sickness  and  death  come  to  those  who,  humanly  speak- 
ing, can  least  be  spared.  The  righteous  often  die,  while  the  wicked 
are  spared  to  cumber  the  ground.  Those  who  support  the  weak  are 
often  taken  away,  while  the  weak  and  useless  are  left.  We  cannot 
know  the  ways  of  God  now,  but  we  shall  know  hereafter.  Perhaps 
the  taking  away  of  such  an  eminent  woman  as  Dorcas  made  the  way, 
or  at  least  made  an  occasion  for  the  development  of  other  women 
like  her  in  the  Church.  "Who  will  take  Dorcas'  place?"  may  have 
become  a  very  practical  question.  When  one  eminent  saint  takes 
upon  himself  much  of  the  needed  work  in  a  church,  others  are 
apt  to  stand  by  idle  and  leave  him  the  work  to  do ;  but  when 
he  is  suddenly  taken  away  it  often  arouses  some  dormant  gifts  to 
supply  the  lack  so  occasioned.  Perhaps  it  might  have  been  of  use 
to  the  widows  to  have  lost  their  human  benefactor  for  a  while,  that 
they  might  turn  their  faith  to  God.  We  often  get  to  depending  on 
the  help  of  human  friends,  and  so  forget  dependence  upon  God. 


THE   RAISING  OF   DORCAS   TO   LIFE.  3123 

There  are  many  possible  ways  by  which  these  apparently  incompre- 
hensible providences  of  God  may  be  explained. 

3. — Peter  sent  for. — The  disciples  at  Joppa  knew  that  Peter  was 
at  Lydda.  Their  action  in  this  case  shows  how  highly  Dorcas  was 
esteemed  by  the  whole  Church.  It  was  not  the  widows  only,  but  the 
disciples,  the  men  of  the  Church,  who  were  deeply  distressed  at  the 
affliction  which  had  fallen  on  the  Church.  They  therefore  sent  two 
of  the  brethren  to  Peter,  asking  him  to  come  at  once  to  them.  What 
they  expected  Peter  to  do  is  not  clear.  They  simply  laid  the  fact 
before  him  and  bade  him  make  haste  and  come.  Perhaps  the  fact 
that  he  had  healed  iEneas  may  have  stirred  in  their  hearts  an  un- 
spoken faith  that  he  might  call  back  this  most  loved  and  respected 
woman  from  the  dead.  Since  Peter  was  gifted  with  working  mir- 
acles, why  might  he  not  be  able  to  do  even  as  his  Lord  had  done ;  or 
since  he  wrought  miracles  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  why  might  not 
Jesus  from  heaven  do  even  so  great  a  miracle  as  this,  even  as  he  had 
done  while  on  earth?     However,  Peter  came  at  their  bidding. 

4. — The  testimony  of  the  widows  to  Dorcas. — When  Peter  came 
they  took  him  to  the  chamber  where  they  had  laid  her  body ;  and 
around  him  gathered  all  the  widows,  with  their  coats  and  garments 
which  Dorcas  had  made  for  them,  and  they  wept  as  they  told  the 
story  of  her  goodness  to  them,  while  she  was  with  them.  This  is  a 
beautiful  testimony.  I  remember  a  comparatively  poor  woman  who 
was  always  helping  the  poor  out  of  her  slender  means,  and  she  was 
constantly  visiting  the  sick  and  forsaken.  She  also  was  full  of  good 
works  and  alms-deeds  which  she  did.  Not  many  people  knew  how 
much  or  even  a  tithe  of  her  good  works.  Her  own  children  did  not 
know  it  until  she  died.  When  she  died  a  hundred  poor  people  missed 
her,  and  when  she  was  buried  they  swarmed  into  the  house  to  look 
at  her  face  once  more,  and  weeping,  they  told  of  how  she  had  helped 
and  befriended  them.  Only  one  or  two  carriages  followed  that  good 
woman's  body  to  the  grave,  but  the  lame  and  the  halt  and  the  sick 
and  the  poor  were  her  mourners.  No  tomb  marks  her  grave  as  yet, 
but  her  real  monument  is  seen  in  the  tears  of  poor  widows  and  the 
sorrow  of  scores  of  afflicted  ones,  whose  hard  lot  in  life  was  made 
more  tolerable  because  of  her  loving  heart  and  open  hands.  "While 
she  was  with  them."  Dorcas  was  one  of  those  saints  who  under- 
stood the  force  of  that  word  of  the  wise  man  who  had  wasted  oppor- 
tunities during  life,  and  left  this  exhortation  to  those  who  should 
follow  him:  ''Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with  thy 
might ;  for  there  is  no  work,  nor  device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom 
in  the  grave,  whither  thou  goest."     Let  us  remember  this,  and  if  we 


324  DORCAS   RAISED   TO   LIFE. 

have  work  to  do,  alms-deeds  to  bestow,  let  us  do  it  while  we  are  with 
the  poor  who  need  it.  The  charity  of  the  dead  hand  is  at  best  a  cold 
and  dead  charity.  That  is  not  a  wise  man  who  waits  till  he  dies  to 
do  his  good  deeds  by  will  and  testament. 

5. — Tabitha  raised  from  the  dead. — There  are  those  critics  who 
deny  the  genuineness  and  authenticity  of  this  miracle.  They  say  it 
is  but  a  corruption  of  the  traditions  of  the  miracles  of  Jesus  in  con- 
nection with  the  daughter  of  Jairus.  This  because  Peter  did  as  his 
Master  did  in  turning  out  the  people  and  speaking  to  the  dead  woman 
by  name,  and  taking  her  by  the  hand.  These  similar  details  rather 
suggest  to  my  mind  the  genuineness  of  the  miracle.  Peter  was  pres- 
ent when  his  Lord  raised  that  little  girl.  What  so  natural  as  that 
he  should  have  imitated  his  Master  as  far  and  as  nearly  as  he  could. 
In  one  thing  he  did  not  do  as  his  Master  did.  Peter  kneeled  down 
and  prayed.  Jesus  did  not  do  this,  for  he  had  the  power  in  himself. 
Peter  had  not.  Perhaps  he  did  not  know  whether  it  was  the  will  of 
God  that  this  woman  should  live.  So  he  asked  God  for  revelation  of 
his  will,  and  no  doubt  got  it.  Then  he  acted.  He  does  not  here 
use  the  formula  "in  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth";  but  that  he 
wrought  this  miracle,  as  the  others  ascribed  to  him,  by  that  almighty 
name,  there  is  not  the  least  doubt. 

6. — Dorcas  restored  to  the  saints  and  widows. — When  she  was 
fully  alive  again,  Peter  called  the  saints  and  widows  who  had  been 
for  the  time  being  put  out  of  the  room,  and  presented  their  sister 
and  friend  to  them.  We  are  irresistibly  reminded  of  Elisha  giving 
back  her  dead  son,  alive,  to  the  Shunamite.  (I.  Kings  xvii,  23.)  We 
can  fancy  Peter  holding  Dorcas  by  the  hand  and  addressing  the 
saints  and  widows,  saying:  "See  thy  sister  and  friend  liveth." 
What  a  happy  time  there  must  have  been;  what  rejoicing;  what 
praising  of  God  for  his  power  to  save  and  to  make  alive  !  But  are 
not  scenes  of  equal,  and  even  more,  joy  being  enacted  every  day  in 
the  world  because  of  the  power  of  Jesus  to  make  dead  sinners  live  ? 
I  have  seen  mothers,  sisters,  brothers,  husbands,  and  wives  over- 
whelmed with  unspeakable  joy  when  I  have  taken  a  dear  one  by  the 
hand  whom  Jesus  has  saved  by  his  word  and  Spirit  and  said  to 
them:  "See  thy  brother  liveth."  I  can  fancy  a  scene  in  heaven 
when  one  comes  up  from  earth  to  be  with  Jesus,  and  Jesus  calls  to 
the  gate  of  that  happy  place  those  who  have  gone  before,  and  pre- 
sents the  new-comer  to  them,  saying:  "See  thy  beloved  one  has 
come  from  earth  to  heaven."  O,  the  works  of  Jesus'  power  and 
grace  are  filling  the  earth  with  joy,  and  will  one  day  fill  all  the  uni- 
verse. 


THE   RAISING   OF    DORCAS   TO   LIFE.  325 

7. — The  effect  of  the  miracle. — Again  we  are  told  that  through- 
out Joppa  many  believed  on  the  Lord.  And  to  whom  shall  men  turn 
but  to  the  Lord,  who  only  can  forgive  sinners  and  bring  them  from 
death  to  life  ?  The  wonder  is  that  there  lives  a  man  or  woman  on 
the  earth  who  does  not  believe  on  the  Lord. 

8. — Peter  in  the  house  of  Simon. — For  many  days  Peter  tarried 
in  Joppa.  He  did  not  live  with  any  of  the  great  merchants  or 
princes  of  Joppa.  Perhaps  there  were  none  of  these  classes  among 
the  saints.  He  lived  at  the  house  of  Simon  the  tanner — a  common 
working  man  whose  business  was  considered  of  the  lowest.  But  no 
man's  house  is  low  in  which  a  saint  lives,  and  no  honest  occupation 
is  low  when  carried  on  by  a  child  of  God.  At  any  rate,  to  this  house 
angels  came,  and  from  the  roof  of  it  God  sent  Peter  to  bring  in  the 
first  convert  from  among  the  Gentiles. 


October  16,  1892. 


XLII. 

PETER'S  VISION.— Acts  x,  1-20. 

(1)  There  was  a  certain  man  in  Cesarea  called  Cornelius,  a  centurion  of  the  band 
called  the  Italian  band,  (2)  A  devout  man,  and  one  that  feared  God  with  all  his  house, 
which  gave  much  alms  to  the  people,  and  prayed  to  God  always.  (3)  He  saw  in  a 
vision  evidently,  about  the  ninth  hour  of  the  day,  an  angel  of  God  coming  in  to  him, 
and  saying  unto  him,  Cornelius.  (4)  And  when  he  looked  on  him,  he  was  afraid, 
and  said,  What  is  it,  Lord?  And  he  said  unto  him,  Thy  prayers  and  thine  alms  are 
come  up  for  a  memorial  before  God.  (5)  And  now  send  men  to  Joppa,  and  call  for 
one  Simon,  whose  surname  is  Peter:  (6)  He  lodgeth  with  one  Simon  a  tanner,  whose 
house  is  by  the  sea  side:  he  shall  tell  thee  what  thou  oughtest  to  do.  (7)  And  when 
the  angel  which  spake  unto  Cornelius  was  departed,  he  called  two  of  his  household 
servants,  and  a  devout  soldier  of  them  which  waited  on  him  continually;  (8)  And 
when  he  had  declared  all  these  things  unto  them,  he  sent  them  to  Joppa.  (9)  On  the 
morrow,  as  they  went  on  their  journey,  and  drew  nigh  unto  the  city,  Peter  went  up 
upon  the  housetop  to  pray  about  the  sixth  hour :  (10)  And  he  became  very  hungry, 
and  would  have  eaten:  but  while  they  made  ready,  he  fell  into  a  trance,  (11)  And  saw 
heaven  opened,  and  a  certain  vessel  descending  unto  him,  as  it  had  been  a  great 
sheet  knit  at  the  four  corners,  and  let  down  to  the  earth:  (12)  Wherein  were  all 
manner  of  four-footed  beasts  of  the  earth,  and  wild  beasts,  and  creeping  things,  and 
fowls  of  the  air.  (13)  And  there  came  a  voice  to  him,  Rise,  Peter;  kill,  and  eat.  (14) 
But  Peter  said,  Not  so,  Lord;  for  I  have  never  eaten  any  thing  that  is  common  or 
unclean.  (15)  And  the  voice  spake  unto  him  again  the  second  time,  What  God  hath 
cleansed,  that  call  not  thou  common.  (16)  This  was  done  thrice:  and  the  vessel  was 
received  up  again  into  heaven.  (17)  Now  while  Peter  doubted  in  himself  what  this 
vision  which  he  had  seen  should  mean,  behold,  the  men  which  were  sent  from  Cor- 
nelius had  made  inquiry  for  Simon's  house,  and  stood  before  the  gate,  (18)  And  called, 
and  asked  whether  Simon,  which  was  surnamed  Peter,  were  lodged  there.  (19)  While 
Peter  thought  on  the  vision,  the  Spirit  said  unto  him,  Behold,  three  men  seek  thee. 
(20)  Arise  therefore,  and  get  thee  down,  and  go  with  them,  doubting  nothing  :  for  I 
have  sent  thee.— Acts  x,  1-20. 

Undoubtedly  the  main  object  for  which  Luke  wrote  the  Acts  was 
to  show  forth  the  grace  of  God  toward  the  Gentiles.  The  previous 
chapters  all  lead  up  to  this  point.  Especially  in  the  preceding  chap- 
ter we  see  the  reason  for  the  record  concerning  the  healing  of  ^neas 
and  the  raising  to  life  again  of  Dorcas.  Peter  was  on  his  way,  un- 
consciously to  himself,  to  the  Gentiles  with  the  Gospel.  God  had  by 
his  leading  brought  him  down  as  far  as  to  Joppa,  which  was  near  to 
Cesarea,  where  dwelt  Cornelius,  the  first  Gentile  to  whom  the  Gospel 
was  distinctly  preached.     God  had  from  all  eternity  purposed  grace 

326 


PETER'S   VISION.  327 

to  the  race  which  he  made  in  his  own  image.  The  revelation  of  that 
grace  for  the  past  fifteen  hundred  years  had  been  confined  to  one 
family  on  the  earth,  though  an  hundred  prophesies  indicated  that  in 
the  fullness  of  time  the  Gentiles  should  also  enter  into  the  benefits 
of  his  mercy.  Now  the  time  had  come  to  fulfill  that  grace.  The 
Jews  as  a  people  were  most  averse  to  sharing  their  blessings  with 
the  rest  of  the  world,  whom  they  believed  to  be  outside  the  pale  of 
mercy.  But  now  the  time  had  come  to  break  down  the  middle  wall 
of  partition  and  bring  in  the  other  sheep  which  the  Great  Shepherd 
had  in  the  world.  It  was  the  intimation  of  this  fact  in  the  various 
early  apostolic  addresses  that  aroused  the  antagonism  of  the  conserv- 
ative Jews.  God  had  prepared  the  way  for  the  Gospel  to  be  given 
to  the  Gentiles  by  means  of  the  large  dispersion  of  the  Jews  over  the 
Greek  and  Roman  world ;  as  also  by  bringing  the  Gentiles  into  the 
very  land  of  the  Jews.  Among  these  Gentiles  whom  God  had  pre- 
pared for  the  Gospel,  was  this  noble  Roman  centurion,  who,  though 
he  seems  not  to  have  been  a  proselyte  to  the  Jewish  faith,  had  yet 
been  so  profoundly  impressed  with  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God, 
which  he  had  acquired  while  dwelling  in  the  land  of  the  Bible,  that 
he  had  become  a  sincere  worshiper.  Whether,  and  to  what  extent, 
he  had  heard  of  Jesus  and  his  crucifixion  and  resurrection  does  not 
appear ;  but  it  seems  almost  certain  that  he  had  heard  of  these 
things  (x,  37),  and  that  they  had  still  further  prepared  his  mind  for 
the  marvelous  revelation  of  grace  that  was  about  to  come  to  him. 
The  harmony  of  Divine  Providence,  in  bringing  the  apostle  into  the 
neighborhood  of  this  prepared  Gentile,  the  concurrent  testimony  of 
the  Spirit  of  God  both  to  Cornelius  and  Peter,  are  remarkable  as 
illustrating,  in  concrete  example,  the  ways  of  God  in  the  salvation 
of  men.  Angels  do  not  now  appear  to  men  and  give  them  specific 
directions  as  to  what  they  shall  do  ;  men  do  not  sleep  and  see  visions 
such  as  Peter  saw  and  have  them  expounded  to  them ;  but  it  would 
be  rash  to  say  that  God  is  not  now,  and  every  day,  ordering  the 
movements  of  men,  both  those  servants  of  his  whom  he  has  ap- 
pointed to  preach  the  Gospel,  and  those  persons  for  whom  the  special 
grace  of  life  has  been  prepared.  As  the  Spirit  prepared  the  heart 
and  mind  of  the  eunuch  for  the  ministry  of  Philip,  and  sent  Philip 
away  from  Samaria  to  the  desert  to  instruct  him,  so  now  the  Spirit 
had  prepared  the  centurion  for  the  Gospel,  and  also  led  the  Apostle 
Peter  to  the  very  neighborhood  where  this  inquirer  was  uncon- 
sciously awaiting  his  coming.  Who  shall  say  that  the  same  careful 
and  minute  Providence  is  not  present  in  the  case  of  every  man  and 
woman  who  is  finally  converted  to  God?    We  do  not  now  perceive 


328  PETER'S   VISION. 

the  hand  of  God  actually  directing,  nor  discern  the  various  links  in 
the  chain  of  his  Providence ;  but  is  not  that  Providence  as  present 
in  the  human  affairs  as  the  main-spring  and  the  wheels  are  present 
in  the  watch  that  move  the  hands  over  the  dial,  though  we  only  see 
the  hands  and  not  the  hidden  works  enclosed  within  the  watch. 

I.— THE   DEVOUT   CENTURION. 

Cornelius,  the  first  Gentile  convert,  has  come  down  through  all 
the  ages  as  an  example  of  pre-eminent  piety.  It  is  true  that  he  was 
a  heathen  by  birth  and  training,  but  he  was  a  man  of  serious  and 
reverent  spirit,  a  type  of  many  such,  doubtless,  to  be  found  in  every 
nation  under  the  sun.  The  Providence  that  had  placed  him  in  the 
land  of  the  Jews  was  the  opportunity  which  enabled  him  to  become 
acquainted  with  the  true  God,  who,  as  soon  as  he  was  discovered, 
became  the  object  of  his  reverent  worship.  During  our  Lord's 
earthly  ministry,  he  came  across  such  an  one  in  the  person  of  that 
other  centurion  of  whom  he  said  that  in  him  he  found  a  faith  greater 
than  in  all  Israel.  (Matt,  viii,  10.)  Though  a  heathen  by  birth,  and 
a  Roman  soldier  by  profession,  he  belonged  to  the  same  class  of  men 
as  Nathaniel  and  Nicodemus  :  sincere  and  earnest  inquirers  after  the 
truth,  and  ready  to  confess  it  when  found.  Such,  wherever  they  are 
found,  even  though  they  have  never  been  brought  face  to  face  with 
the  revelation  of  God  in  the  Gospel,  are  accepted  with  God.  (Acts 
x,  34,  35;  xiii,  7;  xv,  7,  9;  Rom.  x,  12,  14.) 

1. — A  devout  man. — Thus  Cornelius  is  described.  By  a  devout 
man,  is  meant  a  man  with  a  serious  and  reverent  spirit.  Ananias, 
to  whom  Jesus  directed  Saul  in  Damascus,  is  so  described  (Acts 
xxii,  12),  so  that  it  is  a  term  which  may  be  applied  to  one  not  a 
Christian.  It  refers  to  the  spiritual  attitude  of  the  man  rather  than 
to  his  faith.  But  in  this  case  there  are  certain  features  by  which 
the  devout  spirit  may  be  recognized,  (i)  He  feared  God.  That  is, 
he  recognized  God  as  his  Creator  and  Judge,  and  as  such  gave  him 
reverence.  It  is  not  that  he  was  afraid  of  God,  but  that  he  rever- 
enced him  and  acknowledged  his  obligations  and  responsibility  to 
him.  It  has  in  it  more  the  element  of  love  than  of  dread.  He  gave 
him  honor  as  a  son  gives  honor  to  his  father,  recognizing  his  good- 
ness and  the  natural  and  rightful  claim  that  he  has  upon  him  to  re- 
spect and  obedience.  Not  only  did  he  fear  God  himself,  but  he 
taught  all  his  military  household  to  fear  and  honor  God  also.  A 
truly  devout  man  will  seek  to  command  his  household  in  the  same 
path  of  reverence.     It  was  said  of  Abraham :  "For  I  know  him,  that 


THE   DEVOUT    CENTURION.  329 

he  will  command  his  household  and  his  children  after  him,  and  they 
shall  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord  to  do  justice  and  judgment."  (Gen. 
xviii,  19.)  Cornelius  was  of  the  same  spirit  with  Abraham;  and  as 
Abraham  was  said  to  be  the  father  of  the  faithful  in  the  old  dispen- 
sation, so  Cornelius  might  be  said  (without  violence  to  the  spirit  of 
that  supreme  commendation)  to  be  the  father  of  the  Gentile  Church. 
He  was  a  man  whom  all  succeeding  generations  have  delighted  to 
honor,  (ii)  He  gave  much  alms  to  the  people.  His  piety  did  not  con- 
sist in  sentiment  only.  We  have  seen  that  he  trained  his  household 
to  fear  the  Lord.  His  fear  of  God  led  him  also  to  have  a  tender  com- 
passion and  pity  upon  the  people  around  him,  not  so  well  favored  as 
himself  in  this  world's  goods.  Both  in  spirit  and  in  act,  he  sought 
to  fulfill  the  whole  law.  That  is,  he  loved  God  and  worshiped  him, 
and  he  loved  his  neighbor  and  sought  to  do  him  good.  He  combined 
in  himself  the  character  of  Nathaniel,  the  guileless  seeker  after  God, 
and  the  good  works  of  the  Samaritan,  who  went  out  of  his  way  to 
lend  a  helping  hand  to  his  neighbor,  (iii)  He  prayed  to  God  always. 
His  was  not  a  fitful  piety  or  a  religion  of  fear.  He  prayed  to  God 
always.  God  was  his  daily  dependence  as  well  as  the  object  of  his 
constant  homage.  "Behold  he  prayeth,"  said  the  Lord  to  Ananias 
concerning  Saul.  This  was  a  sure  sign  that  his  heart  was  right  with 
God.  Here  is  another  man  of  whom  it  is  also  said  "He  prayeth." 
The  Light  that  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world  had 
shined  into  his  heart  and  had  transformed  him,  even  before  he  knew 
Christ  intelligently.  May  we  not  hope  and  believe  that  there  are 
many  such  in  all  nations,  to  whom  the  words  of  the  Gospel  have  not 
yet  come,  but  whom  God  knows  as  his  own.  We  could  not  find  a 
better  pattern  of  a  truly  God-fearing  man  than  is  here  presented  to 
us,  even  before  his  conversion,  as  we  use  that  word  in  its  technical 
meaning. 

2. — He  sees  a  vision. — It  was  about  the  ninth  hour,  or  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  that  Cornelius,  perhaps  while  at  prayer, 
saw  in  a  vision  an  angel  of  God  coming  to  him.  This  was  not  a 
dream,  but  an  actual  appearance  to  Cornelius  while  he  was  fully 
awake.  Such  a  vision  as  the  disciples  saw  when  they  were  with 
Jesus  on  the  mount,  with  Moses  and  Elias  standing  with  him.  Such 
visions  are  not  now  vouchsafed  to  men,  because  we  have  now  the 
completed  revelation  of  God  and  the  messengers  of  the  Gospel  sent 
everywhere  to  preach  the  Gospel.  But  in  the  opening  of  the  Gospel 
dispensation  to  the  Gentiles,  it  was  necessary  that  the  Jewish  dis- 
ciples should  be  instructed  in  some  such  way,  in  the  fact  that  God 
had  also  chosen  the  Gentiles  to  salvation,  and  had  broken  down  the 


330  PETER'S   VISION. 

middle  wall  of  partition  between  the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles.  Just 
as,  at  a  later  period,  even  Paul  was  directed  to  cross  the  frontier  of 
Asia  into  Europe  by  the  appearance  to  him  of  that  mysterious  man 
of  Macedonia  who  came  to  him  and  said,  "Come  over  and  help  us." 
But  there  is  this  other  lesson  in  it  for  us,  and  for  all  men.  God  will 
not  leave  the  truly  devout  man  without  the  means  of  fuller  light. 
He  sent  Philip  to  find  out  Nathaniel ;  he  sent  another  Philip  to  in- 
struct the  inquiring  eunuch ;  and  now  he  sends  an  angel  to  Cornelius 
to  direct  him  into  the  way  of  obtaining  the  knowledge  that  in  his 
heart  he  was  thirsting  for.  There  is  no  true  inquirer  in  this  world 
upon  whom  the  eye  of  the  Lord  does  not  rest  with  care,  and  to  whom 
the  arm  of  the  Lord  will  not  be  revealed.  As  to  how  God  may  bring 
all  the  men  in  every  nation  who  fear  him  into  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  we  do  not  know,  and  are  not  curious  to  inquire,  but  that  he 
will  do  so,  we  have  not  the  slightest  doubt,  for  God  has  said  that 
they  are  accepted  with  him.  All  of  God's  ways  are  not  made  known 
to  us,  and  we  must  not  deny  their  existence  because  some  of  them 
are  past  our  finding  out. 

3. — He  is  directed  what  to  do. — Peter  was  unknown  to  Cor- 
nelius, as  Cornelius  was  unknown  to  Peter,  and  yet  God  had  a  way 
by  which  to  bring  this  inquirer  and  his  apostle  together.  So  God 
has  a  way  of  bringing  the  unconverted  heathen  and  the  preachers  of 
his  Gospel  together.  Sometimes  he  sends  his  evangelists  unsought 
to  the  inquirer,  as  in  the  case  of  Philip  and  the  eunuch,  and  some- 
times he  sends  the  inquirer  to  the  teacher,  as  in  this  case.  "  And 
now  send  men  to  Joppa,  and  call  for  Peter."  How  differently  God 
leads  men  to  the  light  and  brings  about  his  gracious  purposes  !  No 
doubt  the  main  end  of  Providence,  in  sending  Peter  on  that  tour 
among  the  villages  and  outlying  districts,  was  that  he  might  finally 
be  brought  up  to  Caeserea,  to  the  house  of  this  devout  centurion. 
Yet  there  was  work  for  him  to  do  on  the  way.  God  can  make  all  his 
ways  fit  naturally  one  into  another.  His  Providences  are  wrought 
out  in  a  chain  of  events.  Sometimes  all  the  links  are  visible,  and 
sometimes  the  most,  if  not  all  of  them,  are  hidden  from  our  view. 
It  does  not  matter. 

4. — Not  disobedient  to  the  heavenly  vision. — As  soon  as  the 
angel  which  spoke  to  him  was  departed,  Cornelius  called  his  house- 
hold together,  and  told  them  all  that  had  happened.  He  was  not 
ashamed  to  declare  his  faith  before  his  household ;  it  was  not  a  mat- 
ter to  be  hidden,  but  to  be  proclaimed.  He  then  selected  two  men 
and  a  trusted  servant,  who  was  as  devout  as  himself,  and  one  who 
was  his  personal  attendant,  and  sent  them  forthwith  to  Joppa  to  do 


A   RELUCTANT   APOSTLE.  331 

as  the  angel  had  bidden  him.  Here  is  another  example  of  prompt 
and  implicit  obedience.  He  did  not  doubt,  he  did  not  question ;  but 
obeyed  at  once.  No  doubt  many  a  man  has  lost  a  blessing,  which 
has  come  to  his  very  door,  because  he  has  hesitated  to  obey.  Con- 
viction wrought  by  the  Spirit  of  God  is  no  less  distinct  and  clear  to 
the  consciousness  than  if  an  angel  had  appeared  to  us.  It  is  to  be 
obeyed  as  promptly  and  as  impbcitly.  To  stifle  a  conviction  or  to 
delay  in  acting  upon  it  is  as  fatal  as  it  would  have  been  for  Cornelius 
to  have  deferred  obedience  to  the  command  of  this  heavenly  mes- 
senger. 

II.— A   RELUCTANT   APOSTLE. 

The  next  day  after  the  angel  had  appeared  to  Cornelius,  and 
while  his  messengers  were  on  their  way  to  Peter,  and  were  drawing 
nigh  to  Joppa,  Peter  went  up  on  the  housetop  to  pray.  He  little 
knew  or  dreamed  of  the  approach  of  those  messengers,  or  of  the  pur- 
pose of  God ;  and  yet  he  was  unconsciously  falling  into  God's  plan 
for  the  help  of  the  devout  centurion.  It  was  early  in  the  morning, 
about  six  o'clock.  Peter  had  not  broken  his  fast,  and  was  an  hun- 
gered. Breakfast  was  delayed,  but  in  course  of  preparation.  In  the 
meantime,  Peter  fell  into  a  trance.  Just  what  the  nature  of  this 
trance  was,  it  is  difficult  to  say.  Perhaps  it  was  primarily  natural 
sleep,  to  which  was  superadded  some  supernatural  influence  of  the 
Spirit  of  God.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  it  was  similar  in  kind  to  that 
deep  sleep  which  *ell  upon  Abraham,  the  record  of  which  we  have 
in  Gen.  xv,  12  ;  or  that  which  came  upon  Job  (iv,  13),  in  which  these 
patriarchs  were  instructed  by  the  visions  which  they  saw  while  in 
that  peculiar  condition.  The  vision  which  Peter  saw  was  different 
from  the  vision  of  the  angel  which  appeared  to  Cornelius.  In  this 
case,  it  was  an  actual  appearance  to  the  waking  consciousness  of  the 
centurion.  In  Peter's  case  it  was  an  unreal  appearance.  That  is, 
there  was  no  sheet  actually  let  down  from  heaven  filled  with  all 
manner  of  four-footed  beasts  ;  but  there  was  a  vision  like  a  dream, 
in  which  this  thing  seemed  to  occur.  For  the  time  being,  and  so  far 
as  the  final  impression  upon  his  mind  was  concerned,  the  vision  was 
real,  though  it  was  an  impression  made  on  his  imagination  only. 
God  has  again  and  again  taught  his  people  in  this  subjective  way. 
The  most  notable  case  was  that  in  which  Jacob  slept  and  saw,  as  it 
were,  a  ladder  set  up  from  earth  to  heaven,  and  the  angels  of  God 
ascending  and  descending  upon  it. 

1. — The  vision. — What  Peter  saw  was  a  great  sheet,  knit  at  the 
four  corners  and  containing  all  manner  of  four-footed  beasts,  and 


332  PETER'S   VISION. 

wild  beasts,  and  creeping  things,  and  fowls  of  the  air,  let  down  from 
heaven  to  the  earth.  This  vision  of  itself  might  have  meant  noth- 
ing, and  would  have  passed  away  as  the  mere  distortion  of  the  men- 
tal operation  during  sleep,  superinduced  by  the  previous  physical 
condition  of  hunger ;  but  while  he  gazed  in  the  state  of  trance  upon 
this  remarkable  vision,  a  voice  said  to  him,  "  Rise,  Peter ;  kill  and 
eat."  He  was  hungry,  and  would  fain  have  eaten,  but  the  creatures 
before  him,  either  all  of  them  or  some  of  them,  were  to  him,  as  an 
orthodox  Jew,  unclean  beasts,  and  so,  by  the  law  of  God,  forbidden 
to  him.  Still  all  this  might  have  been  but  a  troubled  dream.  Nev- 
ertheless, it  was  so  real  and  carried  out  in  such  fullness  of  detail, 
that  the  matter  did  not  end  here. 

2. — The  controversy. — Peter,  in  his  virion,  seems  to  have  recog- 
nized the  voice  that  spake  to  him  as  being  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  and 
so,  Peter-like,  he  at  once  and  promptly  enters  his  protest :  "Not  so, 
Lord."  We  should  almost  know  this  was  Peter;  the  reply  is  so 
prompt  and  characteristic.  Peter  always  had  his  own  opinions,  and 
he  believed  in  them  thoroughly,  and  was  never  backward  in  declar- 
ing them;  he  even  did  not  hesitate  to  combat  the  Lord  himself. 
Compare  this  part  of  his  reply  with  his  remonstrance,  almost  in  the 
same  words  with  Jesus,  in  Matt,  xvi,  22.  So,  also,  of  the  concluding 
words  of  his  remonstrance  :  "  For  I  have  never  eaten  anything  com- 
mon or  unclean."  We  are  again  reminded  of  this  quick,  self-confi- 
dent, impulsive,  hearty,  and  honest-hearted  apostle :  "  Thou  shalt 
never  wash  my  feet."  "I  will  never  deny  thee."  Now,  here  it  is 
again:  "I  have  never."  As  though  this  settled  the  matter.  What 
had  been  his  habit  must  be  right,  and  even  the  Divine  command 
must  not  interfere.  Yet  this  mind  of  Peter's  was  not  altogether 
without  warrant ;  for  his  invariable  habit  in  this  matter  was  based 
on  the  ordinance  of  God  himself,  by  which  the  clean  and  the  unclean 
animals  were  separated.  Peter  was  so  far  right,  that  he  would  not 
violate  a  command  of  God  at  the  sound  or  command  of  any  voice  un- 
til he  had  sufficient  reason  from  God  himself.  Now  he  is  met  by  the 
voice  saying  to  him,  "  What  God  hath  cleansed,  that  call  thou  not 
common."  Here  was  a  new  principle,  or  the  setting  forth  of  a  new 
procedure  on  God's  part.  The  distinction  between  the  clean  and 
the  unclean  was  not  inherent,  but  ceremonial,  and  therefore  tempo- 
rary. God  declared  to  Peter  now  that  that  ceremonial  is  done  away 
with,  or,  in  other  words,  the  unclean  is  now  clean ;  that  is,  it  ceases 
to  be  unlawful  to  eat  of  animals  before  unclean,  because  God  has  re- 
moved the  prohibition.  This  was  done  thrice,  and  then  the  vessel 
was  taken  up  into  heaven.     Old  prejudices  and  old  habits  of  thought 


A   RELUCTANT  APOSTLE.  333 

are  not  easily  removed ;  and  entirely  new  teaching  needs  to  be  care- 
fully and  even  oftentimes  repeated. 

3. — Peter  in  doubt. — In  the  light  of  the  subsequent  history,  we 
can  readily  understand  the  meaning  of  the  vision.  Peter  himself 
understood  it  at  last.  (vs.  45-47;  xi,  15-18.)  Now,  however,  he 
doubted.  "  What  can  this  vision  mean  ?  "  we  can  fancy  him  saying 
to  himself.  He  had  been  hungry,  and  in  vision  food  had  come  to 
him  with  a  command  to  eat ;  but  the  food  was  unclean,  according 
to  God's  own  command,  and  yet  God  had  declared  that  he  had 
cleansed  it.  There  was  a  deeper  hunger  in  Peter's  heart — his  long- 
ing desire  to  see  men  saved  through  Jesus  Christ.  No  doubt  he  had 
pondered  the  question  of  the  salvation  of  the  Gentiles ;  he  had  him- 
self declared  God's  purpose  of  grace  toward  them  in  his  great  sermon 
on  the  day  of  Pentecost ;  but  that  they  were  to  be  received  on  the 
same  terms,  and  in  the  same  way,  as  the  Jews  were  received,  he  did 
not  believe.  He  supposed  they  would  come  in  as  proselytes,  and 
not  as  equals.  He  had  not  arisen  to  the  truth  "that  God  is  no  re- 
specter of  persons,"  and  that  "there  is  no  difference  between  man 
and  man  before  God,  either  as  to  his  sin  or  the  free  grace  which  God 
has  revealed  to  all  men  through  Christ.  This  vision  was  intended 
to  set  this  at  rest,  and  the  spiritual  hunger  of  Peter  after  souls  was 
to  be  satisfied  both  in  the  conversion  of  Jews  and  Gentiles.  There 
was  now  to  be  no  more  clean  or  unclean  among  men  whom  the  Gos- 
pel cleansed.  The  sheet  coming  down  from  heaven  and  going  back 
whence  it  came,  showed  that  this  was  God's  purpose ;  in  itself  as 
remarkable  teaching  as  that  seen  in  the  ark  of  Noah,  which  included 
in  its  saving  walls  all  manner  of  beasts  and  creeping  things  and 
fowls  of  the  air.  Thus  long  ago  God  foreshadowed  the  universality 
of  his  grace  and  the  scope  of  the  Gospel.  A  capital  missionary  ser- 
mon is  suggested  by  this  incident.  "I.  The  heavenly  origin  of 
foreign  missions.  II.  The  vast  extent  of  the  field.  III.  The  great 
labor  involved.  IV.  The  doubts  and  difficulties  connected  with  the 
missionary  problem.     V.  The  Divine  promise  bestowed  on  them." 

4. — Peter's  doubts  resolved. — God  does  not  always  leave  us  in 
doubt.  Time  was  given  to  Peter  to  think  over  these  things,  as  to 
what  God  may  have  meant.  While  he  was  still  in  doubt,  the  corre- 
sponding and  confirming  events  which  God  had  set  in  motion  were 
at  hand.  Just  then  the  messengers  cf  Cornelius  arrived,  and  in- 
quired for  Peter.  Still  thinking  upon  the  vision,  the  "  Spirit  said  to 
him,  Behold !  three  men  seek  thee.  Arise  therefore,  and  get  thee 
down,  and  go  with  them,  doubting  nothing,  for  I  have  sent  them." 
Here  we  have  vision  and  voice,  together  with  messengers  sent  from 


334  PETER'S   VISION. 

Cornelius,  and  also  the  distinct  command  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  If  God 
sometimes  leaves  us  to  doubt  and  wonder  what  certain  things  mean, 
we  may  be  sure  that,  with  an  honest  and  open  heart  of  obedience 
toward  him,  he  will,  by  combination  of  providences  and  convictions 
from  the  Spirit,  ultimately  make  the  way  plain.  We  may  remark  in 
this  connection  that  inward  convictions,  with  regard  to  things  doubt- 
ful, should  never  be  acted  upon  unless  there  are  external  and  real 
confirmatory  circumstances  accompanying  them.  It  is  a  great  les- 
son to  learn  :  how  to  interpret  convictions  in  the  light  of  external 
facts.  The  whole  lesson  is  most  beautiful,  as  showing  how  proud 
and  haughty  heathenism  is  seen  knocking  at  the  gate  of  the  Gospel, 
and  suing  for  mercy ;  and  how  proud  and  haughty  Jewish  caste  and 
prejudice  yields  to  the  teachings  of  the  Gospel. 


October  23,  1892. 


XLIII. 

PETER   AT   C/tSAREA.— Acts   x,    3o-48. 

(30)  And  Cornelius  said,  Four  days  ago  I  was  fasting  until  this  hour;  and  at  the 
ninth  hour  I  prayed  in  my  house,  and,  behold,  a  man  stood  before  me  in  bright 
clothing,  (31)  And  said,  Cornelius,  thy  prayer  is  heard,  and  thine  alms  are  had  in 
remembrance  in  the  sight  of  God.  (32)  Send  therefore  to  Joppa,  and  call  hither 
Simon,  whose  surname  is  Peter;  he  is  lodged  in  the  house  of  one  Simon  a  tanner  by 
the  sea  6ide;  who,  when  he  cometh,  shall  speak  unto  thee.  (33)  Immediately  there- 
fore I  sent  to  thee;  and  thou  hast  well  done  that  thou  art  come.  Now  therefore  are 
we  all  here  present  before  God,  to  hear  all  things  that  are  commanded  thee  of 
God.  (34)  Then  Peter  opened  his  mouth,  and  said,  Of  a  truth  I  perceive  that  God  is 
no  respecter  of  persons :  (35)  But  in  every  nation  he  that  feareth  him,  and  worketh 
righteousness,  is  accepted  with  him.  (36)  The  word  which  God  sent  unto  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  preaching  peace  by  Jesus  Christ :  (he  is  Lord  of  all :)  (37)  That  word, 
I  say,  ye  know,  which  was  published  throughout  all  Judea,  and  began  from  Galilee, 
after  the  baptism  which  John  preached ;  (33)  How  God  anointed  Jesus  of  Nazareth 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  power:  who  went  about  doing  good,  and  healing  all 
that  were  oppressed  of  the  devil;  for  God  was  with  him.  (39)  And  we  are  witnesses 
of  all  things  which  he  did  both  in  the  land  of  the  Jews,  and  in  Jerusalem ;  whom  they 
slew  and  hanged  on  a  tree:  (40)  Him  God  raised  up  the  third  day,  and  shewed  him 
openly;  (41)  Not  to  all  the  people,  but  unto  witnesses  chosen  before  of  God,  even  to  up, 
who  did  eat  and  drink  with  him  after  he  rose  from  the  dead.  (42)  And  he  com- 
manded us  to  preach  unto  the  people,  and  to  testify  that  it  is  he  which  was  ordained 
of  God  to  be  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead.  (43)  To  him  give  all  the  prophets 
witness,  that  through  his  name  whosoever  believeth  in  him  shall  receive  remission  of 
sins.  (44)  While  Peter  yet  spake  these  words,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  all  them  which 
heard  the  word.  (45)  And  they  of  the  circumcision  which  believed  were  astonished, 
as  many  as  came  with  Peter,  because  that  on  the  Gentiles  also  was  poured  out  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  (46)  For  they  heard  them  speak  with  tongues,  and  magnify 
God.  Then  answered  Peter,  (47)  Can  any  man  forbid  water,  that  these  should  not  be  f 
baptized,  which  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost  as  well  as  we  ?  (48)  And  he  com-  f 
manded  them  to  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Then  prayed  they  him  to 
tarry  certain  days.— Acts  x,  30-48. 

After  the  vision  which  Peter  had  on  the  housetop,  and  his  subse- 
quent reception  of  the  messengers  from  Cornelius,  he  proceeded  the 
next  day,  with  a  number  of  brethren  from  Joppa,  to  Ctesarea  to  see 
what  the  meaning  of  it  all  was.  As  yet  the  matter  was  not  fully 
understood.  The  whole  purpose  of  God  had  not  been  revealed  to 
Peter  in  the  vision ;  but  enough  light  had  come  to  him  to  guide  him 
so  far  on  the  way.     He  was  like  a  sailor  who  leaves  port  with  sealed 

335 


336  PETER  AT  OESAREA. 

orders,  which  are  to  be  broken  from  port  to  port  as  he  proceeds  on 
his  voyage.  On  the  way  he  met  Cornelius,  with  a  goodly  company 
of  friends  and  kinsmen,  who,  when  he  saw  Peter,  fell  at  his  feet  and 
worshiped  him ;  which  act  Peter  immediately  repudiated,  and  bade 
him  stand  on  his  feet  before  him,  because  he  also  was  but  a  man, 
and  not  God.  Here  we  see  the  lingering  power  of  heathen  educa- 
tion and  training  in  Cornelius,  and  the  effect  of  a  knowledge  of  the 
true  God  in  the  act  of  Peter.  Entering  the  house,  Peter  found  a 
goodly  company  assembled.  He  felt  himself  in  a  peculiar  position 
for  a  Jew,  it  not  being  lawful  for  a  Jew  to  enter  into  the  house  of  a 
Gentile,  or  have  any  voluntary  intercourse  with  one.  This  Peter 
frankly  stated,  but  also  informed  them  that  God  had  shown  him  that 
this  old  caste  feeling  and  prejudice  was  wrong,  and  that  he  was 
henceforth  to  call  no  man  common  or  unclean.  An  immense  truth, 
the  greatness  of  which  even  Peter  had  not  fully  learned,  aud  a  truth 
the  breadth  and  length  and  depth  of  which  we,  after  nearly  two 
thousand  years,  have  not  yet  fully  measured.  But  God,  who,  for 
wise  purposes,  and  for  the  time  being,  had  made  the  ceremonial 
law,  had  now,  for  equally  wise  as  well  as  gracious  reasons,  abro- 
gated that  law,  and  Peter  was  ready  to  obey  the  changed  law  with- 
out gainsaying. 

L— A  DEVOUT  AND   EXPECTANT   INQUIRER. 

The  first  meeting  between  Peter  and  Cornelius  being  over,  and  a 
proper  footing  for  them  both  established  by  Peter's  brief  address, 
Cornelius  proceeded  to  rehearse  to  Peter  himself  the  visitation  he 
had  received  from  the  angel,  the  personal  circumstances  under  which 
that  angelic  visit  was  made,  and  the  fact  of  his  sending  for  Peter  in 
obedience  to  the  angel's  command.  He  then  expresses  his  gratifica- 
tion at  the  fact  of  Peter's  visit,  and  his  readiness  of  mind  to  hear 
what  the  apostle  had  to  say. 

1.— The  company  of  inquirers. — Cornelius  was  not  content  to 
have  the  instruction  which  had  been  promised  of  the  angel  all  to 
himself.  He  had  kindred  at  his  command,  and  intimate  personal 
friends.  While  the  messengers  were  absent  in  Joppa  communicat- 
ing with  Peter,  Cornelius  had  communicated  with  these  friends  and 
kinsmen  and  invited  them  to  his  house  to  share  with  him  the  coming 
instruction.  "  Now  therefore,  we  are  all  here  present."  The  earn- 
estness, frankness,  and  sincerity  of  the  centurion's  heart  and  mind  are 
seen  in  this  action.  To  him  a  knowledge  of  God  and  his  word  was 
so  important  that  he  desired  that  others  should  share  with  him  the 


A  DEVOUT   AND   EXPECTANT   INQUIRER.  337 

benefits  he  himself  expected  to  receive.  He  was  not  like  some  mod- 
ern inquirers,  who  are  constantly  telling  us  that  religion  is  too  sacred 
a  matter  to  be  spoken  about ;  and  being  between  the  individual  soul 
and  God,  is  not  to  be  talked  about  even  to  most  intimate  friends.  If 
there  were  more  such  men  in  our  armies,  and  in  every  station  of  life, 
as  Cornelius,  there  would  be  vastly  more  Christians  in  the  world, 
both  in  high  and  low  positions.  If  God  has  given  us  a  good  thing, 
let  us  share  it  with  others ;  if  we  have  found  out  the  most  excellent 
way,  let  us  help  others  into  it. 

2. — Present  before  God. — When  Cornelius  declared  to  Peter  that 
he  and  his  friends  were  there  "before  God,"  he  revealed  both  his 
faith  and  his  reverence.  God  was  not  visible  to  any  of  them,  yet  he 
believed  that  God  was  present  with  them,  and  indeed  he  reckoned 
that  he  was  in  God's  presence  rather  than  in  man's.  If,  when  we 
assemble  ourselves  together  in  church,  chapel,  prayer-room,  or  Sun- 
day-school, we  could  all  come  as  Cornelius  and  his  friends  did,  "  be- 
fore God, "  how  different  might  the  effect  of  his  word  be  !  Some  peo- 
ple go  to  the  "church"  as  though  it  were  a  holy  place,  while  others 
go  to  hear  some  great  preacher ;  but  this  devout  man  came  into  the 
presence  of  God.  That  was  the  main  fact  with  him.  The  place  was 
nothing ;  the  presence  of  God,  and  his  presence  before  God,  was  the 
great  thing  with  him.  "  God  is  a  spirit, "  and  "  he  seeketh  such  to 
worship  him."  Not  in  Jerusalem,  not  in  this  place  or  that,  but  any- 
where and  everywhere,  "  in  spirit  and  in  truth. " 

3. — To  hear  what  God  had  to  say. — Cornelius  did  not  say  to 
Peter,  "  We  are  all  gathered  here  to  hear  what  you  may  have  to  say 
to  us."  He  and  his  Mends  quite  understood  that  it  would  be  through 
the  lips  of  Peter  that  God  would  speak,  but  they  counted  on  the 
message  being  from  God.  They  were  ready  to  hear  not  only  some 
things,  but  "  all  things."  They  wanted  a  full  message,  and  had  come 
with  hearts  to  receive  everything  which  God  had  commanded  the 
apostle  to  say.  This  also  is  a  mark  of  the  true  inquirer.  Too  many 
of  us  are  willing  to  hear  in  part,  rather  than  in  whole,  the  message 
of  God.  We  are  willing  to  hear  how  we  may  be  justified,  and  yet  do 
not  care  to  hear  how  we  are  to  be  sanctified.  They  wanted  to  know 
"all  the  counsel  of  God."  Nothing  short  of  this  will  fully  meet  the 
spiritual  necessities  of  any  man.  An  inquirer  who  is  not  ready  to 
hear  all  that  God  has  to  say  will  probably  fail  in  hearing,  "  in  the 
power  of  the  spirit,"  anything  that  God  has  to  say. 

4. — To  do  whatsoever  God  may  command. — This  is  not  affirmed 
in  so  many  words,  but  it  is  implied  in  the  word  "to  hear."  God  rec- 
ognizes no  hearing  of  his  word  which  is  not  followed  by  doing  it. 


338  PETER  AT   C.ESAREA. 

We  might  put  two  Scriptures  together  and  get  a  good  interpretation 
of  this  matter :  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  heareth  my 
word  and  believeth  ....  hath  everlasting  life."  "If  any  man 
willeth  to  do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine  whether  it  be  of 
God."  (John  v,  24;  vii,  17.)  That  is  not  hearing  which  does  not 
lead  to  faith,  and  that  is  not  faith  which  does  not  start  the  whole 
man  to  doing  the  will  of  God.  Cornelius  was  no  curious  inquirer, 
but  a  sincere  one,  who  desired  to  ktww  the  will  of  God  only  that  he 
might  do  it. 

IL— A  REVELATION  TO  PETER. 

God  had  made  it  plain  to  Peter  that  he  was  to  go  down  to  the 
Gentile  centurion  at  Csesarea,  but  he  had  not  fully  informed  him  of 
all  that  was  implied  in  that  double  and  corresponding  revelation 
given  to  Cornelius  and  himself.  He  had,  indeed,  told  him  that  no 
man  was  unclean  in  his  sight ;  that  is,  in  the  sense  of  being  excluded 
from  his  mercy.     This  revelation  comprehended  two  truths. 

1. — God  is  no  respecter  of  persons. — In  nature  there  is  no  dif- 
ference between  man  and  man.  All  men  are  made  of  one  blood. 
Originally  all  sprang  from  the  one  paii.  Differences  and  distinctions 
are  artificial,  accidental,  ceremonial,  and  unreal.  There  is  no  dif- 
ference in  the  moral  standing  of  men,  "  for  all  have  sinned  and  come 
short  of  the  glory  of  God."  There  is  no  difference  in  their  relation 
to  God  in  respect  of  his  purpose  of  grace.  "  God  has  included  all, 
both  Jew  and  Greek,  in  unbelief,  that  he  might  include  all  in  his 
mercy."  "He  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved  and  come  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth."  Therefore  he  has  given  Jesus  to  be  a  ransom  for 
all.  (I.  Tim.  ii,  4.)  The  rich  and  the  poor,  the  king  and  the  peas- 
ant, are  alike  to  him.  Naked  we  all  came  into  the  world,  and  naked 
shall  we  all  go  out  of  it.  In  the  resurrection  the  only  difference  will 
be  on  the  ground  of  previous  relation  to  Christ.  This  is  a  great 
truth.  It  was  a  new  revelation  to  Peter ;  it  ought  to  be  a  new  one 
to  us  every  day. 

2. — There  are  accepted  souls  in  every  nation. — The  Jews  were 
wont  to  think  that,  because  God  had  chosen  them  to  be  the  channels 
of  his  revelation  and  the  custodians  of  his  ceremonial  witness,  he 
had  therefore  chosen  them,  and  them  alone,  to  salvation.  Peter 
frankly  acknowledges  that  now,  at  last,  he  sees  that  salvation  is  not 
a  matter  which  is  limited  by  race  or  condition,  but  is  the  gift  of  God 
to  all  men,  in  every  nation,  who  "fear  God  and  work  righteousness." 
Of  this,  the  history  of  the  Old  Testament  gave  at  least  abundant 


PETER'S  ADDRESS.  339 

prophetic  evidence.  The  Gospel  came  to  Abram  before  he  was  a 
Jew,  and  its  blessings  were  bestowed  upon  him,  or  at  least  confirmed 
unto  him,  by  Melchisedec,  who,  though  a  Hebrew,  was  yet  "the 
priest  of  the  Most  High  God."  Jethro,  the  father-in-law  of  Moses, 
was  an  accepted  man  with  God,  and  yet  he  was  not,  so  far  as  we 
know,  even  a  proselyte  to  the  Jewish  religion.  The  knowledge  of 
God  was  present  with  Balaam,  whatever  we  may  judge  of  his  char- 
acter and  final  estate.  Naaman  was  a  converted  man  and  accepted 
with  God,  though  he  did  not  become  incorporated  with  the  Jewish 
theocracy ;  the  widow  of  Zerapath  was  a  heathen  of  a  most  heathen 
nation,  and  yet  God  accepted  her ;  and  God  certainly  sent  his  message 
of  grace  and  mercy  to  the  Nine\ites,  who  by  the  preaching  of  Jonah 
were  led  to  repentance.  These  cases  were  but  hints  of  God's  larger 
purpose.  Now  Peter  perceived,  that  his  purpose  was  a  universal 
one,  and  that  henceforth  even  the  former  ceremonial  distinctions 
were  done  away,  and  all  men  stood  before  God  equal  in  their  privi- 


HI.— PETER'S   ADDRESS. 

The  observation  which  Peter  has  just  made  as  to  what  he  per- 
ceived to  be  God's  purpose,  now  passes  over  into  a  more  formal  ad- 
dress to  the  waiting  inquirers.  It  is  marked  by  the  same  general 
characteristics  which  we  have  observed  in  his  former  addresses, 
though  it  is  not  so  full.  Perhaps  he  saw  that  it  was  irrelevant  to  go 
into  all  the  details  of  Jewish  history  in  preaching  the  glad  tidings  to 
these  Gentiles. 

1. — The  exordium. — Peter  begins  his  address  by  a  preparatory 
remark  in  which  he  sounds  the  note  of  the  whole  Gospel :  "  The 
word  which  God  sent  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  preaching  peace  by 
Jesus  Christ  (he  is  Lord  of  all.")  He  thus  at  once  intimates  that  he 
has  no  other  Gospel  for  Cornelius  than  that  which  God  had  sent  to 
the  children  of  Israel  by  Jesus  Christ, — a  word  and  message  of  peace ; 
and  he  hastens  to  add  that  Jesus  is  Lord  of  all,  not  of  the  Jews  only, 
but  of  all  men.  This  seems  to  have  been  a  new  conclusion  which 
Peter  reached  suddenly,  as  he  was  speaking.  This  had  been  the 
message  to  Israel ;  this  was  henceforth  to  be  the  message  to  the  Gen- 
tiles. Thus  Peter  opened  his  address.  It  is  a  good  plan,  when 
speaking  to  inquirers,  either  in  private  or  addressing  them  in  class 
or  mass,  to  give  them  a  hint  of  the  whole  message  before  going  into 
the  details. 

2. — The  historical  basis  of  the  Gospel. — Peter  now  sets  forth 
before  Cornelius  the  leading  facts  in  the  life  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 


340  PETER  AT   CJESAREA. 

He  has  assumed  in  his  exordium  that  Cornelius  was  not  altogether 
ignorant  of  the  facts,  nor  even  of  the  doctrine  in  the  case,  since  he 
was  living  in  such  close  neighborhood  to  where  Jesus  had  lived  and 
wrought  and  died.  Nevertheless,  he  rehearses  the  main  features  of 
the  historic  Gospel,  (i)  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  This  is  the  first  fact  in 
the  Gospel.  Peter  did  not  begin  his  sermon  with  an  exposition  of 
natural  religion  or  with  a  system  of  ethical  philosophy ;  but  by  calling 
the  attention  of  his  hearers  to  the  Person  Who  is  the  substance  of 
the  Gospel,  "Jesus  of  Nazareth."  He  points  out  the  significant  fact 
that  he  appeared  in  his  public  ministry  "anointed  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,"  and  accompanied  all  through  it  by  God  himself.  Here  at 
least  we  have  the  intimation  both  of  his  human  and  divine  character. 
Here  we  have  mention,  not  in  theological  precision  or  terms,  of  the 
three  persons  in  the  Godhead.  Jesus  the  Son  of  God,  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  God  the  Father,  who  was  with  him.  (ii)  His  ministry  of 
mercy  among  men.  "He  went  about  doing  good  and  healing  all  that 
were  oppressed  of  the  devil."  This  human  ministry  among  men  was 
the  sign  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah  of  God,  and  intimated  what  the 
mind  of  God  was  toward  men.  It  was  good-will.  The  acts  of  mercy 
and  compassion  bestowed  upon  both  the  bodies  of  afflicted  men,  and 
upon  the  souls  of  devil-possessed  and  oppressed  men,  was  an  intima- 
tion that  Jesus  had  come  into  the  world  to  destroy  the  works  of  the 
devil  and  to  rescue  men  from  all  the  ills  and  sorrows  which  sin  had 
entailed.  Jesus  was  the  friend,  and  not  the  censor  or  enemy  of  men. 
(iii)  The  death  of  Jesus.  "  Whom  they  (the  Jews)  slew  and  hanged 
upon  a  tree."  This  is  indeed  but  a  brief  statement.  We  can  well 
suppose  that  the  record  here  given  by  Luke  contains  only  the  merest 
outline  of  Peter's  address.  But  the  fact  of  the  sacrificial  death  is 
here.  Christ  and  him  crucified,  was  a  part  of  the  theme,  nay,  the 
very  essence  of  the  theme,  of  this  first  sermon  to  the  Gentiles,  (iv) 
The  glorious  fact  of  his  resurrection.  "  Him  God  raised  the  third  day, 
and  showed  him  openly."  (v)  The  certainty  of  these  things.  The 
Gospel  which  Peter  was  preaching  was  not  based  on  a  myth  or  an  im- 
aginary history ;  it  was  veritable  fact.  As  to  the  earthly  ministry  of 
Jesus :  "  We  are  witnesses  of  all  things  which  he  did,  both  in  the 
land  of  the  Jews  and  in  Jerusalem."  Moreover,  the  most  important 
fact; — his  resurrection — was  established  beyond  question,  because, 
though  he  was  not  shown  openly  after  his  resurrection,  to  all  the 
people,  he  was  shown  to  "  witnesses  chosen  before  of  God,  even  to 
us,  who  did  eat  and  drink  with  him  after  he  rose  from  the  dead." 
Here  is  simple  historical  truth.  How  blessed  and  comforting  it  is  to 
know  that  our  faith  rests  not  upon  myths  or  speculation,  but  on  solid 


PETER'S   ADDRESS.  341 

facts  concerning  which  there  can  be  no  doubt !  (vi)  Prophetic  wit- 
ness. The  truth  of  the  testimony  of  these  witnesses  to  Jesus  is 
further  strengthened  by  the  fact  that  our  Lord's  appearance  in  the 
world,  his  human  ministry,  his  sacrifice,  and  his  resurrection  from 
the  dead,  were  all  the  subjects  of  prophetic  witness  long  ages  ago. 
This  fact  is  constantly  relied  upon  by  the  apostles  in  their  preach- 
ing, as  when  Paul  says  of  Jesus — "  He  came  and  lived,  and  died,  and 
rose  again,  according  to  the  Scriptures."  (Rom.  i,  2;  I.  Cor.  xv, 
3,4.) 

3. — The  preaching  of  the  Gospel. — Peter  refers  to  the  fact  that, 
after  the  resurrection,  the  apostles  and  witnesses  were  commanded 
to  preach  unto  the  people  the  two  following  great  truths,  as  the  out- 
come of  the  appearance,  life,  death,  and  resurrection  of  Jesus  : — (i) 
Tliat  God  had  ordained  Jesus  "  to  be  Judge  of  quick  and  dead."  That 
is  to  say,  into  the  hands  of  Jesus  all  authority  in  heaven  and  earth 
had  been  given,  to  dispose  of  the  destinies  of  men,  both  those  who 
are  now  living  and  those  who  are  dead.  This  is  a  most  solemn  truth, 
and  one  which  Jesus  fully  expounded  himself.  (Matt,  xxviii,  18; 
John  v,  20-24. )  It  is  then  to  Jesus  we  must  look  for  whatever  des- 
tiny we  may  inherit.  There  is  no  other  final  authority.  What  mad- 
ness to  ignore  or  neglect  the  message  of  the  Son  of  God !  (ii)  Hie 
remission  of  sins.  When  we  think  or  speak  of  judgment,  and  Jesus 
as  the  Judge,  we  are  apt  to  think  only  of  that  which  is  associated 
with  punishment  and  final  banishment  from  God.  But  we  must  not 
forget  that  it  is  as  much  the  province  of  the  Judge  to  set  free  the 
man  against  whom  no  offense  is  found  as  it  is  to  punish  the  man  who 
is  guilty.  Therefore  we  have  the  blessed  doctrine  of  remission  of 
sins,  and  justification  through  the  name  of  Jesus  on  the  basis  of  his 
sacrificial  death.  "  Through  his  name,  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
shall  receive  the  remission  of  sins."  (v.  43.)  This  is  the  constant 
doctrine  of  the  apostles.  Peter  preached  it  in  his  first,  and  in  all  his 
subsequent  sermons,  as  we  have  seen  all  through  this  history  of 
apostolic  activity  and  ministry ;  Paul  preached  it  in  his  great  sermon 
(Acts  xiii,  39),  and  it  was  the  theme  of  all  the  prophets  of  the  Old 
Testament.  If  we  accept  Jesus  as  Saviour  and  Lord,  and  remission 
of  sins  through  him,  we  shall  not  have  occasion  to  come  before  him 
as  the  Judge  sitting  on  the  great  white  throne ;  "  there  is  therefore 
now  no  judgment  to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus."  This  must  have 
been  most  joyful  news  to  these  earnest  and  honest  inquirers.  It  is 
most  joyful  news  to  us.  This  is  that  "word  of  peace,  by  Jesus 
Christ,"  of  which  Peter  spoke  in  the  exordium  of  his  address. 


342  PETER  AT   C.ESAREA. 


IV.— THE   DESCENT  OF   THE   SPIRIT. 

While  Peter  was  preaching  we  must  assume  that  his  hearers  were 
believing,  for  we  are  told  that  "  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  them  which 
heard  the  word."  This  is  an  illustration  also  of  the  deeper  meaning 
of  "hearing  the  word."     Such  hearing  is  receiving  and  believing. 

1. — The  Spirit  and  the  Word. — We  learn  from  this  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  to  be  received  in  connection  with  preaching  and  be- 
lieving the  word.  Peter  says  the  Gospel  was  preached  with  the  Holy 
Spirit  sent  down  from  heaven.  (I.  Pet.  i,  12. )  If  we  would  receive 
the  Holy  Ghost,  let  us  give  believing  attention  both  to  the  hearing 
and  the  reading  of  the  word.  The  descent  of  the  Spirit  in  this  case 
was  not  accompanied  with  any  visible  sign,  as  on  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost. There  were  no  tongues  of  fire,  no  sound  as  of  a  rushing  mighty 
wind.  The  believers  who  were  present  recognized  the  fact  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  had  fallen  on  them  when  they — that  is,  Cornelius  and 
his  friends — began  to  "speak  with  tongues  and  magnify  God."  God 
has  no  stereotyped  way  of  bestowing  his  blessings.  It  may  not,  and 
does  not,  follow  that  those  on  whom  the  Holy  Ghost  falls  will  speak 
with  tongues  ;  but  it  invariably  follows  that  those  on  whom  the  Holy 
Ghost  falls  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit.  A  spiritual  and  holy 
life  is  the  evidence  of  the  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Where  this 
fruit  is  not  seen  we  may  be  sure  the  Spirit  has  not  been  received. 

2. — The  astonishment  of  the  Jewish  believers. — Hitherto  these 
Jewish  brethren  had  supposed  that  this  great  and  peculiar  gift  was 
for  them,  and  them  only.  Although  Joel  had  distinctly  foretold  that 
God  would  pour  out  his  Spirit  on  all  flesh,  and  Peter  had  preached 
that  this  "  promise  was  to  all  them  that  are  afar  off,  even  to  as  many 
as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call,"  they  did  not  enter  fully  into  the 
meaning  of  the  Scriptures  and  doctrines  which  they  believed  and 
preached.  It  is  doubtful  if  we  Christians  have  entered  fully  into  the 
wideness  of  God's  mercy  toward  this  lost  world.  The  constant  ten- 
dency is  to  restrict  the  mercy  of  God  and  to  limit  his  grace  and 
power.  If  long  ago  one  of  our  Puritan  Fathers  said,  "  There  is  yet 
much  more  light  to  break  out  of  God's  word,"  may  we  not  hope  and 
believe  that  there  is  much  more  mercy  to  flow  from  the  atoning  work 
of  Jesus  Christ  than  we  are  in  the  habit  of  believing?  Are  there  not 
in  every  nation  those  who,  without  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  are  yet 
subjects  of  God's  mercy,  since  they  are  honestly  "feeling  after  him," 
"fearing  him,"  and  "working  righteousness"? 

3. — Peter's  decision. — Witnessing  the  seal  of  the   Spirit  upon 


THE    DESCENT    OF   THE    SPIRIT.  343 

these  Gentile  believers,  Peter  does  not  hesitate  a  moment,  but  comes 
to  the  right  conclusion,  and  commands  "  them  to  be  baptized  in  the 
Name  of  the  Lord."  (v.  48.)  And  as  if  to  anticipate  any  objection 
from  his  conservative  brethren,  he  challenges  them  thus :  "  Can  any 
man  forbid  water,  that  these  should  not  be  baptized,  seeing  they 
have  received  the  Holy  Ghost  as  well  as  we?  "  (v.  47.)  Here,  in  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  great  test  of  fellowship  and  spiritual 
equality.  "Whom  the  Holy  Ghost  receives,  we  must  receive.  Whom 
the  Holy  Ghost  seals,  we  must  not  dare  refuse.  There  was  no  church 
in  Caesarea ;  yet  these  Gentile  disciples  were  true  believers,  and  truly 
saved,  without  the  interposition,  or  even  the  ministration,  of  a 
church.  It  was  not  baptism  by  an  apostle  that  saved  them,  for  they 
were  sealed  by  the  Holy  Ghost  before  they  were  baptized.  It  was 
not  the  word  at  the  mouth  of  an  apostle  that  saved  them,  but  the 
word  of  God,  heard  and  received.  How  beautiful  and  simple  is  the 
Gospel  of  Christ !  What  a  caricature  some  of  his  disciples,  claiming 
special  and  peculiar  descent  from  the  apostles,  have  made  of  it ! 
God  guide  us  into  all  truth ! 


October  30,  1893. 


XLIV. 

THE  GOSPEL  PREACHED  AT  ANTIOCH.— Acts  xi,  19-30. 

(19)  Now  they  which  were  scattered  abroad  upon  the  persecution  that  arose  about 
Stephen  travelled  as  far  as  Phenice,  and  Cyprus,  and  Antioch,  preaching  the  word  to 
none  but  unto  the  Jews  only.  (20)  And  some  of  them  were  men  of  Cyprus  and 
Cyrene,  which,  when  they  were  come  to  Antioch,  spake  unto  the  Greciaus,  preaching 
the  Lord  Jesus.  (21)  And  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  with  them :  and  a  great  num- 
ber believed,  and  turned  unto  the  Lord.  (22)  Then  tidings  of  these  things  came  unto 
the  ears  of  the  church  which  was  in  Jerusalem:  and  they  sent  forth  Barnabas,  thai 
he  should  go  as  far  as  Antioch.  (23)  Who,  when  he  came,  and  had  seen  the  grace  of 
God,  was  glad,  and  exhorted  them  all,  that  with  purpose  of  heart  they  would  cleave 
unto  the  Lord.  (21)  For  he  was  a  good  man,  and  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  of  faith: 
and  much  people  was  added  unto  the  Lord.  (25)  Then  departed  Barnabas  to  Tarsus, 
for  to  seek  Saul:  (26)  And  when  he  had  found  him,  he  brought  him  unto  Antioch. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  that  a  whole  year  they  assembled  themselves  with  the  church, 
and  taught  mucli  people.  And  the  disciples  were  called  Christians  first  in  Antioch. 
(27)  And  in  these  days  came  prophets  from  Jerusalem  unto  Antioch.  (28)  And  there 
stood  up  one  of  them  named  Agabus,  and  signified  by  the  Spirit  that  there  should  be 
great  dearth  throughout  all  the  world:  which  came  to  pass  in  the  days  of  Claudius 
Cesar.  (29)  Then  the  disciples,  every  mau  according  to  his  ability,  determined  to  send 
relief  unto  the  brethren  which  dwelt  in  Judea:  (30)  Which  also  they  did,  and  sent  it 
to  the  elders  by  the  hands  of  Barnabas  and  Saul.— Acts  xi,  19-30. 

The  report  of  Peter's  visit  to  the  house  of  Cornelius,  that  he  had 
preached  the  word  to  him,  baptized  him,  and  also  partaken  of  his 
hospitality  and  eaten  with  him,  preceded  the  return  of  the  apostle 
to  Jerusalem.  This  transgression  of  Jewish  caste  stirred  up  a  fierce 
storm  against  him  on  the  part  of  "them  of  the  circumcision."  Peter 
vigorously  defended  himself  by  a  simple  appeal  to  the  fact  that  he 
had  acted  according  to  Divine  instructions,  which  he  detailed,  and 
further  on  his  own  deep  conviction  of  what  was  right  in  view  of  the 
fact,  that  "the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  them  as  on  us  at  the  beginning." 
"  Forasmuch,  then,  as  God  gave  them  the  like  gifts  as  he  did  unto  us 
who  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  what  was  I  that  I  could  with- 
stand God?  "  "  When  they  heard  these  things,  they  held  their  peace 
and  glorified  God,  saying,  Then  hath  God  to  the  Gentiles  granted 
repentance  unto  life."  There  are  those  in  our  day  who  assume  to  be 
the  only  legitimate  successors  of  the  apostles,  who  do  not  recognize 
the  fact  that  those  to  whom  the  Holy  Ghost  is  given,  as  well  as  to 

344 


THE   CHURCH   GATHERED.  345 

them,  are  worthy  of  being  recognized  by  the  Church  of  Christ,  and 
to  be  received  into  fellowship  and  communion.  It  is  better  to  have 
the  fellowship  of  God  than  of  men ;  and  he  who  has  received  the 
Holy  Ghost  and  been  granted  "repentance  unto  life,"  can  well  afford 
to  do  without  the  ecclesiastical  fellowship  of  any  man,  though  he 
might  desire  it  for  Christ's  sake.  "They  of  the  circumcision"  have 
a  large  following  yet,  and  a  very  clear  succession. 

The  evident  object  of  Luke  in  making  this  record  of  the  apostolic 
ministry,  was  to  show  us  how  the  Gospel  spread  from  the  Jews  to 
the  Gentiles,  how  the  purpose  of  God  includes  all  who  believe  under 
grace,  and  how  the  Gospel  was  preached  to  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth,  and  to  all  people,  without  respect  of  persons.  Cornelius  was 
the  first  illustrious  convert  from  the  Gentiles.  From  henceforward, 
among  Greeks  and  Romans,  the  Gospel  went  forth  accompanied  by 
the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from  heaven.  We  have,  in  the  portion  of 
the  record  that  we  are  examining  to-day,  a  detailed  account  of  the 
providential  means  which  God  took  to  bring  about  his  purpose.  We 
see  how  one  event  leads  up  to  another ;  how  a  great  variety  of  agen- 
cies were  used  to  accomplish  his  grace  ;  how  the  ministry  of  the  word 
was  committed  to  many  different  hands ;  how  the  Church,  both  at 
Jerusalem  and  Antioch,  came  gradually  into  the  exercise  of  the  nas- 
cent powers  and  functions  of  organized  life  ;  and  how  brotherly  love 
and  Church  fellowship  were  manifested.  It  would  be  impossible  to 
follow  out  all  these  and  various  other  lines  of  thought  suggested  by 
this  very  full  record  concerning  the  gathering  of  the  first  Gentile 
Church.  We  must  content  ourselves  with  a  few  of  the  most  promi- 
nent outlines. 

I.— THE   CHURCH   GATHERED. 

About  ten  years  had  elapsed  since  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  from 
the  dead.  The  work  of  the  apostles  had  hitherto  been  confined  to 
Judea,  Galilee,  and  Samaria.  The  Jews  only  had  been  preached  to. 
The  conversion  of  Cornelius,  up  to  this  time,  was  the  single  excep- 
tion, unless  the  case  of  the  eunuch  was  one,  and  he  probably  was  a 
proselyte,  which  Cornelius  was  not.  The  conversion  of  Cornelius 
and  the  discussion  following  it  at  Jerusalem,  are  events  which  nat- 
urally prepare  the  way  for  this  account  of  the  first  Gentile  Church 
at  Antioch.  "  Antioch  was  the  capital  of  the  Greek  kingdom  of 
Syria,  on  the  river  Orontes,  built  by  the  first  king,  Selucus  Nicator, 
in  honor  of  his  father  Antiochus,  who  was  one  of  Alexander  the 
Great's  generals.     It  lay  about  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  north 


346  THE   GOSPEL   PREACHED   AT   ANTIOCH. 

of  the  northern  frontier  of  Phoenicia.  There  was  a  large  population 
of  Jews,  whom  Selucus  attracted  to  his  new  city  by  granting  them 
equal  privileges  with  the  Greeks."  It  had  a  population  of  about 
500,000,  and  was  reckoned  to  be  the  third  city  of  importance  in  the 
whole  Roman  Empire,  Rome  and  Alexandria  being  the  two  first.  It 
was  in  this  great  center  of  Greek  and  Jewish  population  where  we 
see  the  middle  wall  of  partition  between  Jews  and  Greeks  first 
broken  down,  and  the  disciples  of  Christ,  of  both  parties,  becoming 
one  in  Christ  Jesus. 

1. — How  the  Church  was  gathered. — It  is  most  interesting  to 
note  how  God  overrules  the  work  of  evil  men,  and  causes  it  to  min- 
ister to  his  purpose,  and  "work  together  for  good."  Upon  the  per- 
secution which  arose  about  the  death  of  Stephen,  the  disciples, 
which  were  scattered  abroad,  went  as  far  as  Phoenicia.  This  ter- 
ritory comprehended  a  strip  of  coast  on  the  Mediterranean  about  one 
hundred  and  twenty  miles  long,  by  about  twelve  broad,  including 
Tyre  and  Sidon,  but  excluding  Csesarea,  to  the  island  of  Cyprus, 
which  lay  off  the  Phoenician  coast,  and  to  Antioch,  the  city  we  have 
before  indicated.  To  the  people  of  these  three  districts,  these  dis- 
ciples went  preaching  the  Gospel,  and  testifying  the  grace  of  God. 
"Preaching  the  word."  It  is  worthy  of  observation,  that  the  instru- 
ments of  God's  grace  in  this  case  were  not  apostles,  or  deacons,  or 
even  persons  sent  forth  by  the  Church  at  Jerusalem.  They  were 
simple  disciples,  what  we  could  call  laymen ;  were  acting  entirely  on 
their  own  account,  doing  only  what  every  Christian  is  naturally  con- 
strained to  do,  telling  to  others  what  they  themselves  have  heard  and 
believed  concerning  Jesus.  These  disciples  preached  the  word,  and 
the  word  was  owned  and  blessed  of  God.  It  does  not  matter  who 
scatters  the  seed ;  the  life  is  in  the  seed,  and  not  in  the  hand  of  him 
that  sows  it.  It  is  of  little  consequence  who  preaches,  but  it  is  of 
vast  consequence  what  is  preached.  What  nonsense  it  is,  and  what 
an  insult  to  the  word  and  Spirit  of  God,  for  any  class  of  men  to 
arrogate  to  themselves  the  sole  right  to  preach  God's  blessed  Gospel, 
and  "repentance  unto  life"  through  Jesus  Christ ! 

2. — The  Jew  first. — These  scattered  disciples  were  mostly,  if  not 
all,  Jews,  either  home-born  or  Hellenists.  They  were  filled  with  the 
same  prejudice  as  that  which  caused  Peter  to  remonstrate  with  God, 
when  he  first  showed  him  the  vision  of  the  beasts,  which  had  been 
cleansed.  So  we  read  that  they  went  forth  preaching  the  word  "  to 
none  but  Jews  only."  Well,  this  is  Divine  order.  It  was  meet  that 
this  ancient  people,  to  whom  for  centuries  had  been  committed  the 
oracles  of  God,   and  from  whom,  "as  concerning  the  flesh,  Christ 


THE   CHURCH   GATHERED.  347 

came,"  should  have  the  first  offer  of  the  Gospel ;  hut  though  they  had 
much  profit  and  advantage  every  way,  in  respect  of  their  education 
and  training,  over  the  Greeks,  it  was  for  them  now  to  learn  what 
God  had  already  taught  Peter,  that  he  was  no  "  respecter  of  persons," 
and  that  "Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,"  of 
every  race  and  condition,  giving  himself  "  a  ransom  for  all, " — tast- 
ing death  for  all."     (Heb.  ii,  9 ;  I.  Tim.  ii,  6.) 

3. — And  also  the  Greeks. — "And  some  of  them  were  men  of 
Cyprus  and  Cyrene,  which,  when  they  were  come  unto  Antioch, 
spoke  unto  the  Grecians."  God  showed  Peter  his  purpose  toward 
the  Gentiles  by  a  special  revelation ;  he  confirmed  that  purpose  to 
the  sight  of  other  Jewish  brethren  by  bestowing  upon  Cornelius  and 
his  household  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  their  presence.  But  now 
he  works  the  same  truth  out  in  the  hearts  of  some  private  men  of 
Cyrene  and  Cyprus,  who  had  been  present  on  the  day  of  Pentecost, 
by  the  power  of  the  Spirit  working  in  their  minds  in  connection  with 
the  truth  concerning  Jesus  and  the  Gentile  world.  These  men  of 
Cyprus  and  Cyrene  were  probably  Hellenist  Jews,  but  it  is  perfectly 
sure  that  the  Grecians  to  whom  they  preached  the  Lord  Jesus  were 
not  Hellenist,  but  Greeks.  The  peculiar  expression,  "  And  some  of 
them  spake  unto  the  Grecians,"  is  in  evident  contrast  with  what  was 
said  in  the  previous  verse,  that  the  disciples  "  preached  the  word  to 
none  save  Jews  only."  Thus  does  God  gradually  bring  to  pass  his 
purposes,  and  unfold  his  truth  by  easy  and  natural  methods,  as  the 
work  of  the  Gospel  went  on,  rather  than  by  supernatural  and  extraor- 
dinary means,  as  at  the  beginning.  What  we  have  learned  in  tho 
beginning  by  the  aid  of  miracle  is  afterward  taught  us  without  such 
extraordinary  aid.  This  is  consistent  with  all  the  unfolding  and 
progress  of  revelation. 

4. — The  success  of  this  lay  preaching. — "  And  tho  hand  of  the 
Lord  was  with  them,  and  a  great  number  believed,  and  turned  unto 
the  Lord."  By  "the  hand  of  the  Lord"  is  meant  that  the  power  of 
God  accompanied  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  to  the  people.  This 
gracious  power  of  God  was  present  with  the  brethren  who  preached 
to  the  Jews  only,  and  it  was  present  with  those  who  preached  to  the 
Grecians.  The  great  number  that  believed  were  evidently  from  both 
Jews  and  Greeks,  and  they  alike  turned  to  the  Lord  through  repent- 
ance unto  life.  Thus  God  is  with  all  who,  in  sincerity,  preach  the 
Gospel,  even  though  they  do  not  see  eye  to  eye  in  everything.  What 
folly  it  is  for  us  to  make  hard  and  fast  lines  and  withdraw  from  each 
other  because,  in  all  things,  we  have  not  attained  to  the  same  truth  ! 
When  we  see  God  recognizing  servants  of  various  convictions  and 


348  THE   GOSPEL   PREACHED   AT   ANTIOCH. 

honoring  them  with  the  accompanying  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  we 
should,  like  Peter,  recognize  the  Hand  of  God.  The  reason  God 
could  do  this  is  that,  in  this  and  like  cases,  both  parties  "  preached 
the  word "  and  set  forth  the  Gospel  concerning  Jesus  Christ.  It  is 
the  word  concerning  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  which  he  honors,  and  not 
our  prejudices  and  narrownesses. 

II.— THE  CHURCH  INSPECTED  AND   EDIFIED. 

The  news  of  this  wonderful  work  among  the  Gentiles,  as  well  as 
the  Jews  in  Antioch,  soon  reached  the  brethren  at  Jerusalem.  The 
work,  as  we  have  seen,  was  altogether  apart  from  any  apostolic 
agency  or  mission  of  the  mother  Church.  Those  who  had  brought  a 
storm  about  the  ears  of  Peter  for  preaching  to  and  fellowshiping 
with  Gentiles,  were  surprised  to  hear  that  a  similar  work  was  going 
on,  on  a  larger  scale,  in  a  Gentile  city,  and  that  a  great  company  of 
both  Jews  and  Greeks  were  brought  into  fellowship  by  the  Gospel. 
Their  attitude  toward  this  new  movement  was  somewhat  different 
from  that  assumed  on  the  former  occasion.  They  took  the  matter 
up,  and  determined  to  send  a  representative  to  Antioch,  visiting  the 
other  places  on  his  way.  In  what  capacity  Barnabas  came  to  An- 
tioch does  not  appear.  Whether  he  was  sent  with  authority  from 
the  Church  or  apostles,  or  to  inquire  and  report,  or  simply  to  bear 
the  fellowship  of  the  mother  Church,  is  not  expressed.  There  is  a 
suggestion  in  the  incident,  that  the  Church  at  Jerusalem,  where  the 
apostles  resided,  was  feeling  to  some  extent  its  responsibility,  and 
perhaps  authority,  in  and  over  other  Churches,  but  it  is  by  no  means 
clear  that  any  such  authority  was  exercised.  Inquiry  and  fellow- 
ship, at  the  most,  seems  to  have  been  their  purpose. 

1. — The  messenger. — "They  sent  forth  Barnabas."  "We  know 
of  this  good  man.  He  was  among  the  first-fruits  of  the  Gospel. 
Originally  a  man  of  wealth,  he  had  sold  all  his  possessions,  and  laid 
them  at  the  apostles'  feet.  He  was  subsequently  the  friend  of  Saul, 
or  Paul,  and  was  the  one  to  take  him  by  the  hand  and  vouch  for  him 
to  the  brethren  at  Jerusalem,  who  distrusted  him.  (Acts  iv,  36,  37 ; 
ix,  27.)  We  have  a  further  description  of  his  character  in  the 
twenty-fourth  verse :  "  He  was  a  good  man,  and  full  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  of  faith."  It  would  be  impossible  to  bestow  higher  praise. 
It  is  singularly  suggestive  of  the  kindly  and  changed  temper  of  the 
brethren  at  Jerusalem,  who  were  so  angry  at  Peter,  that  they  should 
select  this  man,  who  was  the  friend  of  Saul,  and  probably  somewhat 
predisposed  toward  the  broader  view  of  the  Gospel  in  respect  of  the) 


THE   CHURCH   INSPECTED   AND   EDIFIED.  349 

Gentiles.  At  any  rate,  it  was  a  wise  and  gracious  thing  for  them  to 
send  Barnabas,  who  was  at  least  no  partisan  of  the  narrow  view, 
being  himself  a  resident  of  Cyprus,  and  so  a  Hellenist.  Such  dele- 
gations are  too  often  partisans,  and  so  are  not  qualified  to  make  a 
fair  inquiry  and  an  unprejudiced  report.  Besides  this,  his  character 
for  integrity  was  well  known,  his*  kindly  disposition,  and  the  fact 
that  he  was  a  man  of  pre-eminent  spiritual  life  and  of  great  faith, 
made  him  in  every  way  best  qualified  to  undertake  the  mission. 

2. — Rejoicing  at  the  good  work. — "Who,  when  he  came,  and 
had  seen  the  grace  of  God,  was  glad."  Two  things  are  here  sug- 
gested :  First,  that  the  grace  of  God  is  a  thing  to  be  seen.  When 
grace  comes  to  a  man,  it  makes  itself  manifest  in  life  and  character. 
We  are  told,  when  the  four  men  let  down  their  paralyzed  friend 
through  the  roof  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  that  Jesus  "saiv  their  faith." 
So,  in  like  manner,  Barnabas  saw  the  grace  of  God :  saw  that  the 
Holy  Ghost  had  come  upon  these  Gentiles  at  Antioch  as  well  as  upon 
the  Jews  at  Jerusalem,  and  that  they  were  standing  forth  in  the 
power  of  a  new  life.  Second,  the  sight  of  this  new  departure  in  the 
work  of  the  Gospel  made  him  glad.  He  was  no  jealous  workman, 
either  for  himself  or  for  the  regular  ministry.  He  rejoiced  that  the 
lay  brethren  had  been,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  enabled  to  do  so  good 
and  so  great  a  work ;  he  was  glad  that  the  Gentiles  were  also  de- 
clared by  this  grace  of  God  to  be  fellow-heirs  with  the  Jews  in  the 
privileges  of  the  Gospel.  He  was  glad  that  this  wide  and  large  pur- 
pose of  God  was  being  manifested.  This  is  as  it  should  be.  That 
is  but  a  poor  mean  spirit  which  cannot  rejoice  in  the  grace  of  God, 
wherever  and  by  whomsoever  wrought. 

3. — Strengthening  the  work. — Barnabas  was  called  the  "  Son  of 
Consolation."  He  had  special  gifts  for  the  encouragement  of  believ- 
ers. In  all  the  subsequent  history  of  the  "Acts  of  the  Apostles,"  we 
do  not  hear  a  great  deal  of  the  personal  work  of  Barnabas,  but  we 
are  sure  that  he  took  his  share  of  the  work,  and  did  it  well,  though 
it  was  not  of  that  brilliant  and  initial  kind  which  characterized  his 
great  friend's.  Coming  in  among  these  young  converts  at  Antioch, 
he  no  doubt  gave  them  the  greeting  of  the  brethren  and  apostles  at 
Jerusalem,  and  then  exhorted  them  all,  both  Jews  and  Greeks, 
"that,  with  purpose  of  heart,  they  would  cleave  unto  the  Lord." 
From  which  we  may  learn  that  the  Christian  life  is  not  lived  care- 
lessly. It  requires  "purpose  of  heart,"  and  it  involves  "cleaving  to 
the  Lord."  The  Lord  indeed  is  our  keeper,  but  he  keeps  those  who, 
with  purpose  of  heart,  cleave  unto  him,  as  Ruth  did  to  Naomi.  He 
no  doubt  warned  them  of  the  natural  deceitfulness  and  treachery  of 


350  THE   GOSPEL   PREACHED  AT   ANTIOCH. 

their  own  hearts,  of  the  temptations  which  would  come  upon  them, 
of  the  persecution  which  they  might  well  expect  from  the  world,  and 
the  especial  enemies  of  Christ,  and  therefore  of  the  necessity,  at  the 
very  outset,  of  taking  a  strong  position  and  putting  their  whole  heart 
and  strength  into  their  new  life.  There  is  no  part  of  the  work  of 
the  ministry  more  important  than  that  of  training  and  teaching 
young  converts.  Everything  in  after  Christian  life  depends  upon  a 
right  start.     Barnabas  gave  them  this  right  start. 

4. — The  effect  of  Barnabas'  ministry. — "  And  much  people  were 
added  to  the  Lord."  Barnabas  seems  to  have  addressed  himself 
mainly  to  the  believers  at  Antioch,  but  so  powerful  were  his  ad- 
dresses, so  full  and  rich  his  Scriptural  instruction,  so  clearly  did  he 
set  forth  the  great  fact  that  Jesus  was  the  Son  of  God,  that  the  good 
work  which  he  found  in  progress  increased  and  grew  until  "much 
(more)  people  were  added  to  the  Lord."  We  do  not  read  in  figures 
how  many  converts  were  gathered  under  the  preaching  of  Barnabas, 
but  we  are  left  to  believe  that  there  was  a  large  number.  Some- 
times the  preaching  and  exhorting  of  the  teacher  is  as  powerful  to 
win  men  to  Christ  as  the  more  direct  work  of  an  evangelist.  It  seems 
to  have  been  so  in  this  case. 

in.— THE  NEW   CHURCH  AT   WORK. 

Barnabas  had  not  been  long  in  Antioch  before  he  perceived  that 
more  workmen  were  needed,  men  who  could  instruct  and  direct  the 
Church.  The  work  was  growing  on  his  hands  out  of  proportion  to 
his  ability  to  keep  pace  with  it  and  overtake  it. 

1. — Barnabas  seeks  Paul. — Casting  about  in  his  mind  for  a  helper, 
his  thoughts  turn  to  his  friend  Saul,  or  Paul.  It  is  remarkable  that 
he  did  not  send  to  Jerusalem  for  help.  Perhaps  he  knew  the  breth- 
ren there  well  enough  to  fear  that  their  prejudices  would  hinder 
rather  than  help  the  good  work.  He  remembered  Saul  and  his  great 
knowledge  of  the  Scriptures,  his  broad  views  and  sympathies  with 
and  for  the  Gentiles.  Perhaps  he  remembered  the  commission 
which  Jesus  had  given  him  at  the  time  of  his  conversion.  Saul  had 
not  as  yet  entered  upon  his  work.  Though  well  known  to  the 
Church  at  Jerusalem,  they  had  offered  him  to  abide  in  obscurity  at 
Tarsus.  More  than  three  years,  perhaps  five,  had  elapsed  since  his 
conversion.  He  had  spent  three  years  of  that  in  Arabia,  and  since 
then  he  had  been  in  retirement  in  his  own  home  in  Tarsus.  Barna- 
bas determined  to  go  and  find  him.  Here  was  no  narrow  or  selfish 
jealousy.     Barnabas  probably  knew  that  Saul  would  quickly  take 


THE   NEW  CHURCH  AT   WORK.  351 

the  lead  in  this  new  work,  if  he  were  brought  into  it ;  but  he  was  a 
"good  man,  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  of  faith,"  and  with  him  it 
was  no  question  of  who  should  take  the  lead  or  be  the  more  conspic- 
uous instrument  in  the  work ;  his  only  thought  was,  how  shall  the 
work  be  conserved,  and  who  can  best  help  in  it  ?  That  being  deter- 
mined in  his  own  mind,  he  promptly  took  the  journey  to  Tarsus  to 
find  Saul.  The  journey  would  be  about  ten  or  twelve  hours,  perhaps 
a  whole  day  by  sea,  or  about  eighty  miles  by  land.  However,  he 
went  and  succeeded  in  finding  his  friend  and  bringing  him  to  Anti- 
och.  Here  we  have  our  first  introduction  to  Paul,  the  great  apostle 
to  the  Gentiles,  and  see  him  formally  and  regularly  entering  upon 
that  great  work  which  continued  for  thirty  years  and  filled  all  Asia 
with  Churches  of  Jesus  Christ. 

2. — A  whole  year's  work.— "  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  a  whole 
year  they  assembled  themselves  in  the  Church,  and  taught  much 
people."  Two  things  are  observable  here.  First,  that  the  work  of 
evangelizing  went  on  steadily  for  a  whole  year.  Our  mistake  in 
these  modern  times  is  that  we  do  not  lay  siege  to  cities ;  we  are  con- 
tent with  a  few  days  of  special  evangelistic  work,  or  a  few  weeks  at 
most ;  we  have  not  the  courage  or  the  faith  or  the  consecration  to 
"  stick  "  to  the  work.  Second,  it  is  to  be  observed  that  this  work  was 
done  in  or  with  the  Church.  We  can  understand  that  the  whole 
Church  was  equally  interested  with  Paul  and  Barnabas  in  doing  this 
work,  and  cordially  and  heartily  co-operated  with  them.  All  Chris- 
tians cannot  be  preachers  or  teachers,  but  all  may  be  helpers  in  the 
work.  When  this  is  the  case,  and  the  Church  works  together  with 
the  evangelists  and  teachers,  steadily  and  continuously,  the  result 
here  mentioned  is  sure  to  take  place.  Much  people  will  come  for 
teaching  and  be  converted  to  God. 

3. — A  new  name.  — "And  the  disciples  were  called  Christians, 
first  at  Antioch."  Much  discussion  has  been  indulged  in  as  to  the 
origin  of  this  name.  It  is  agreed  that  it  was  not  taken  by  the  dis- 
ciples themselves,  for  they  were  content  to  call  themselves  "breth- 
ren," "disciples,"  "friends,"  and  other  similar  names.  It  was  not 
given  by  the  unbelieving  Jews,  for  that  would  have  been  a  confes- 
sion on  their  part  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah.  It  was  probably  given 
to  them  by  the  Greeks,  who,  noticing  the  great  growth  of  the  sect, 
observing  the  prominence  given  in  all  their  teaching  to  Christ,  and 
seeing  their  faith  was  more  in  Hi m  the  person  than  in  any  mere  doc- 
trine, simply  designated  them  by  the  name  of  their  Master.  There 
is  no  evidence  that  it  was  given  in  derision.  It  is  certain  that  the 
disciples  afterward  accepted  and  adopted  it  as  their  own.     Let  us  be 


352  THE   GOSPEL   PREACHED   AT   ANTIOCH. 

proud  of  the  name,  as  was  Polycarp,  who  said  before  his  martyrdom, 
"I  die  a  Christian."  And  let  us  bear  that  honored  and  holy  name 
worthily. 

IV.— THE  FELLOWSHIP  OF  THE   SALffTS. 

The  progress  of  the  Church  at  Antioch  attracted  to  that  city  one 
Agabus,  a  prophet,  who,  when  he  came,  prophesied  of  the  great 
famine  which  afterward  took  place  in  the  days  of  Claudius  Csesar. 
This  warning  of  coming  distress  was  not  unheeded  by  the  disciples 
in  Antioch.  It  was  well  known  that  the  great  mass  of  believers  in 
Jerusalem  were  very  poor,  and  that,  if  the  famine  came,  it  would 
fall  heavily  upon  them.  The  result  was  that  an  immediate  move- 
ment was  set  on  foot  to  raise  a  fund  for  the  relief  of  the  poor  breth- 
ren in  Judea.  By  whom  the  movement  was  suggested  or  originated, 
does  not  appear ;  but  the  whole  Church  entered  into  it  heartily,  and 
a  fund  was  dispatched  by  the  hands  of  Barnabas  and  Saul,  and 
turned  over  to  the  elders  of  the  Church  at  Jerusalem.  This  was  a 
most  beautiful  and  fitting  act  on  the  part  of  this  Gentile  Church,  and 
no  doubt  did  much  toward  cementing  the  bonds  of  fellowship  be- 
tween them  and  the  Judean  Churches.  Paul  ever  fostered  this  good 
work  and  encouraged  the  rich  Gentile  Churches  to  divide  their 
abundance  with  the  poorer  Jewish  Churches.  Where  there  is  true 
life,  there  will  always  be  true  fellowship,  and  fellowship  which  will 
not  expend  itself  in  words  only,  or  in  the  exercise  of  fine  sentiments, 
but  in  substantial  deeds.  (I.  Cor.  xvi,  1-3;  II.  Cor.  viii  and  ix; 
Gal.  ii,  10.) 


November  C, 


XLV. 

PETER    DELIVERED    FROM    PRISON.— Acts  xii,  1-17. 

(1)  Now  about  that  time  Herod  the  king  Btretched  forth  his  hand  to  vex  certain 
of  the  church.  (2)  And  he  killed  James  the  brother  of  John  with  the  sword.  (3)  And 
because  he  saw  it  pleased  the  Jews,  he  proceeded  further  to  take  Peter  also.  (Then 
were  the  days  of  unleavened  bread.)  (4)  And  when  he  had  apprehended  him,  he  put 
him  in  prison,  and  delivered  him  to  four  quaternions  of  soldier?  to  keep  him;  intend- 
ing after  Easter  to  bring  him  forth  to  the  people.  (5)  Peter  therefore  was  kept  in 
prison:  but  prayer  was  made  without  ceasing  of  the  church  unto  God  for  him.  (C) 
And  when  Herod  would  have  brought  him  forth,  the  same  night  Peter  was  sleeping 
between  two  soldiers,  bound  with  two  chains:  and  the  keepers  before  the  door  kept 
the  prison.  (7)  And,  behold,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  came  upon  him,  and  a  light  shined 
in  the  prison :  and  he  smote  Peter  on  the  side,  and  raised  him  up,  saying,  AriBe  up 
quickly.  And  his  chains  fell  off  from  his  hands.  (8)  And  the  angel  said  unto  him, 
Gird  thyself,  and  bind  on  thy  sandals:  and  so  he  did.  And  he  saith  unto  him,  Cast 
thy  garment  about  thee,  and  follow  me.  (9)  And  he  went  out,  and  followed  him; 
and  wist  not  that  it  was  true  which  was  done  by  the  angel;  but  thought  he  saw  a 
vision.  (10)  When  they  were  past  the  first  and  second  ward,  they  came  unto  the  iron 
gate  that  leadeth  unto  the  city;  which  opened  to  them  of  his  own  accord:  and  they 
went  out,  and  passed  on  through  one  street;  and  forthwith  the  angel  departed  from 
him.  (11)  And  when  Peter  was  come  to  himself,  he  said.  Now  I  know  of  a  surety,  that 
the  Lord  hath  sent  his  angel,  and  hath  delivered  me  out  of  the  hand  of  Herod,  and 
from  all  the  expectation  of  the  people  of  the  Jews.  (12)  And  when  he  had  considered 
the  thing,  he  came  to  the  house  of  Mary  the  mother  of  John,  whose  surname  was 
Mark;  where  many  were  gathered  together  praying.  (ID  And  as  Peter  knocked  at 
the  door  of  the  gate,  a  damsel  came  to  hearken,  named  Ehoda.  (14)  And  when  she 
knew  Peter's  voice,  she  opened  not  the  gate  for  gladness,  but  ran  in,  and  told  how 
Peter  stood  before  the  gate.  (15)  And  they  said  unto  her,  Thou  art  mad.  But  she 
constantly  affirmed  that  it  was  even  so.  Then  said  they,  It  is  his  angel.  (16)  But 
Peter  continued  knocking:  and  when  they  had  opened  the  door,  and  saw  him,  they 
were  astonished.  (17)  But  he,  beckoning  unto  them  with  the  hand  to  hold  their  peace, 
declared  unto  them  how  the  Lord  had  brought  him  out  of  the  prison.  And  he  said, 
Go  shew  these  things  unto  James,  and  to  the  brethren.  And  he  departed,  and  went 
into  another  place.— Acts  xii,  1-17. 

Once  more  the  storm  of  persecution  broke  upon  the  Church  at 
Jerusalem.  "  About  that  time," — that  is,  about  the  time  that  Bar- 
nabas and  Paul  went  up  to  Jerusalem  with  the  benefaction  of  the 
Church  at  Antioch, — the  company  of  the  Lord's  people  seems  to  have 
been  in  double  distress.  Not  only  were  they  suffering  from  famine, 
but  now  the  cruel  and  bloody  Herod  had  taken  in  hand  the  inhuman 
work  of  persecution.     The  story  here  narrated  with  such  graphic 

353 


354  PETER   DELIVERED   EROM    PRISON. 

circumstance  and  detail  presents  to  us  a  vivid  picture  of  that  con- 
flict which  from  the  beginning  has  been  going  on  between  the  world- 
powers,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ,  guided 
and  protected  by  the  supernatural  power  of  God,  on  the  other. 
While  Herod,  the  almost  despotic  king  of  all  Palestine,  was  planning 
to  make  a  great  holiday,  with  the  trial  and  execution  of  Peter  for 
the  chief  spectacular  amusement,  God  was  planning  and  executing 
his  discomfiture  in  the  deliverance  of  his  servant  out  of  his  hands. 
Great  preparations  were  going  on  under  the  orders  of  the  king  for 
the  "show,"  to  which  all  the  Jews  were  to  be  bidden,  for  it  was  to 
be  a  popular  spectacle  ;  on  the  other  hand,  the  Church  was  assembled 
in  prayer  to  God  for  Peter,  and  an  angel  was  on  his  way  from  heaven 
to  open  the  prison  door  and  set  the  apostle  free.  Soldiers  were 
closely  guarding  Peter ;  but  prayers  were  stronger  than  prison 
guards,  and  one  touch  of  the  angel's  hand  was  sufficient  to  unloose 
the  shackles  from  Peter's  hands  and  feet.  Again  we  see  how  varied 
is  the  providential  dealing  of  God  in  different  cases,  and  with  differ- 
ent individuals.  He  suffered  James,  one  of  the  favored  three  apos- 
tles, to  be  beheaded  without  the  slightest  interposition  to  save  him, 
while  he  set  the  Church  praying  and  sent  an  angel  from  heaven  to 
rescue  Peter  from  prison,  and  from  a  fate  similar  to  that  which  be- 
fell James.  Why  he  spared  Peter  and  allowed  James  to  be  killed  is 
a  question  which  belongs  to  his  secret  counsel.  We  may  be  sure, 
however,  that  James  was  as  dear  to  God  as  was  Peter ;  and  we  must 
just  be  content  to  conclude  that,  in  all  the  circumstances,  Peter  was 
more  needful  to  the  Church  than  James  was,  and  that  the  martyr- 
dom of  James  would  be  overruled  for  more  good  to  the  Church  than 
if  his  life  had  been  spared. 

I.— THE   HERODIAN   PERSECUTION. 

The  account  of  this  persecution  of  the  Church  by  Herod  is  very 
briefly  recorded  by  Luke,  It  is  one  of  the  great  advantages  which 
Christianity  enjoys  over  other  religions,  that  its  beginnings  were  so 
closely  interlaced  with  Roman  history  that  what  details  are  left  out 
of  the  inspired  record  are  easily  supplied  by  the  secular  history  of 
the  times. 

1. — Herod  the  king. — This  Herod  we  know  to  have  been  the 
third  of  that  name  who  had  reigned  in  Palestine.  He  was  the 
grandson  of  Herod  the  Great,  who  had  slain  the  innocents  at  the 
time  of  the  birth  of  Jesus.  He  was  the  nephew  of  that  Herod  who 
beheaded  John  the  Baptist.     He  belonged  to  a  bloody  and  persecut- 


THE   HERODIAN   PERSECUTION.  355 

ing  house,  and  well  kept  up  its  reputation.  He  was  at  this  time 
reigning  over  all  Palestine,  having  been  promoted  from  a  more  lim- 
ited kingdom  to  the  entire  dominion  originally  accorded  to  his  grand- 
father. He  was  a  Roman  courtier,  but  at  the  same  time  he  was 
intensely  devoted  to  the  manners  and  customs  of  his  nation,  and  in 
order  to  strengthen  himself  with  the  Jews  and  assuage  their  preju- 
dices against  himself  for  reigning  under  Roman  rule,  was  punctilious 
in  the  observances  of  all  their  religious  rites.  He  now  sought  to 
court  their  further  favor  by  taking  strong  sides  with  them  against 
the  Christians,  whom  he  stretched  out  his  hand  to  vex  in  many  ways. 
This  course  greatly  pleased  the  rulers  of  the  Jews  and  the  mass  of 
the  people  who  took  their  cue  from  their  priests. 

2. — The  death  of  James. — This  James  was  James,  the  son  of 
Zebedee,  the  brother  of  John,  the  beloved  disciple,  and  must  be  dis- 
tinguished from  James,  the  son  of  Alphasus,  who  is  known  as  James 
the  Less ;  and  also  from  James,  the  brother  of  our  Lord,  who  at  this 
time  was  the  chief  pastor  of  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  and  the  author 
of  the  epistle  that  goes  by  his  name.  Why  Luke  is  so  laconic  in  his 
account  of  the  martyrdom  of  this  beloved  servant  of  God,  it  is  impos- 
sible to  say.  He  gives  us  a  detailed  account  of  the  martyrdom  of 
Stephen,  who  was  but  a  deacon  in  the  Church,  while  James  was  not 
only  an  apostle,  but  one  of  the  three  favorite  apostles  who  had  en- 
joyed the  especial  intimacy  of  Jesus,  and  was  the  first  of  the  apos- 
tolic band  to  suffer  death  for  Christ.  Perhaps  it  may  be  accounted 
for  on  the  simple  ground  that  it  had  no  direct  bearing  on  the  partic- 
ular course  of  history  which  he  had  taken  in  hand  to  write ;  that  is, 
the  development  of  the  Gospel  in  connection  with  the  Gentiles.  The 
life  of  this  apostle,  and  his  death,  is  suggestive  of  how  little  may  be 
known  of  the  whole  history  of  God's  servants.  The  real  record  is 
on  high.  We  may  be  sure  that  James  had  been  active  in  the  service 
of  his  Master,  and  so  had  provoked  the  wrath  of  the  Jews,  who 
pointed  him  out  to  Herod  as  one  of  the  chief  offenders.  He  and 
Peter  had  been  specially  marked  as  the  most  active  men  in  the 
Church.  James  had  been  killed  before  the  Passover,  and  Peter  was 
reserved  for  a  great  show  at  the  close,  for  Herod  was  too  good  a  Jew 
to  cause  Peter  to  be  murdered  during  the  holy  festival ;  just  as  the 
high  priests  were  too  punctilious  to  set  their  feet  inside  the  unholy 
court -room  of  Pilate  while  they  were  forcing  the  murder  of  the  Son 
of  God  upon  that  Roman  Governor.  James  was  at  least  privileged 
to  drink  the  cup  and  be  baptized  with  the  baptism  which  was  given 
to  his  Master,  according  to  the  prompt  declaration  of  his  ability  to 
do  so  on  a  certain  occasion.     (Matt,  xx,  20.) 


356  PETER   DELIVERED   FROM   PRISON. 

3. — Peter  taken  also. — The  killing  of  James  had  greatly  pleased 
the  people  ;  that  is,  the  Jews,  who  hated  Christ  and  his  disciples.  In 
this  Herod  saw  an  opportunity  of  further  conciliating  them,  and  so 
he  proceeded  to  arrest  Peter,  intending  to  bring  him  forth  after 
Easter  (the  Passover)  to  the  people.  Herod  was  very  fond  of  games 
and  public  spectacular  occasions ;  and  having  been  educated  in 
Rome,  was  familiar  with  the  gladiatorial  sports  of  that  cruel  city. 
His  intention,  doubtless,  was  to  make  it  a  great  occasion,  and  pub- 
licly to  try  Peter  on  some  trumped-up  charge,  condemn  him,  and 
have  him  publicly  executed.  In  pursuance  of  this  plan,  Peter  was 
arrested,  thrown  into  prison,  and  doubly  guarded.  The  enemies  of 
Christ  always  seem  to  have  a  peculiar  fear  or  misgiving  that  their 
victims  will  escape.  Perhaps  it  was  remembered  that  Peter  had 
once  before  been  delivered  from  prison  in  a  mysterious  way.  (Ch. 
v,  19.)  He  was  therefore  guarded  by  four  quaternions  of  soldiers; 
that  is,  by  four  relief  guards,  each  guard  having  four  soldiers.  The 
further  details  show  that  he  was  doubly  chained  to  his  guards ;  that 
is,  by  both  hands  and  both  feet,  whereas  it  was  customary  only  to 
chain  one  hand  and  one  foot  to  the  guard.  Pilate's  seal  on  the  grave 
of  Jesus  was  as  futile  to  hold  him  in  the  grave  as  these  shackles  and 
this  special  guard  were  to  keep  Peter  in  prison,  when  God  had  deter- 
mined to  set  him  free.  This  whole  persecution  of  Herod  was  char- 
acterized by  wantonness,  for  there  was  no  charge  against  the  Chris- 
tians, they  having  been  specially  peaceful  and  quiet  at  this  time, 
giving  themselves  more  to  edification  than  evangelization  of  late  ;  by 
brutality,  as  seen  in  the  cruel  beheading  of  James  and  the  vindictive 
imprisonment  of  Peter,  with  the  ultimate  intention  of  putting  him 
to  death  for  a  mere  show  to  the  people  ;  and  finally,  by  meanness, 
since  Herod  only  did  it  because  he  saw  that  it  pleased  the  people, 
and  by  so  doing  he  could  win  a  little  political  popularity.  Such  is 
the  world  and  its  ways. 

II.— THE   DELIVERANCE   OF  PETER. 

Peter  had  been  in  prison  for  a  number  of  days,  at  least  seven, 
from  the  beginning,  or  just  before  the  beginning,  of  the  passover 
feast  until  the  last  day  of  it.  It  was  intended  on  the  next  day  to 
bring  him  forth  to  the  people  and  sacrifice  him  to  their  hatred  and 
Herod's  ambition. 

1. — But  prayer  was  made  for  him. — Thus  matters  stood.  All 
things  were  ready  for  Peter's  martyrdom  the  next  day.  What  could 
possibly  save  him?     It  was  impossible  for  him  to  effect  his  escape 


THE    DELIVERANCE   OF   PETER.  357 

from  prison.  The  Church  had  no  power,  and  there  was  no  power  in  the 
State  that  could  be  appealed  to  for  help.  The  king  was  determined 
to  sacrifice  him,  and  the  people  were  all  pleased  at  the  prospect. 
Yet  there  was  a  power  at  work  which  neither  king  nor  people  had 
taken  into  account.  "Prayer  was  made  without  ceasing  of  the 
Church  unto  God  for  him.'7  "While  the  amphitheater  was  being  pre- 
pared, or  one  extemporized  for  his  execution,  this  little  and  feeble 
body  of  famine-stricken  believers  were  calling  upon  God.  This  has 
ever  been  the  resource  of  the  Church.  What  vanity  it  would  have 
been  to  have  circulated  and  presented  a  petition  to  Herod !  He 
would  have  laughed  at  them,  and  probably  put  the  bearers  of  the 
petition  into  prison  with  Peter,  and  increased  his  delight  by  adding 
them  to  the  black  list.  The  kings  of  the  earth  and  the  rulers  forget 
God,  but  the  Church  remembers  him ;  and  as  David  looked  to  the 
hills  for  his  help,  so  these  believers  looked  to  God  to  deliver  their 
beloved  brother  and  chief  minister.  Let  the  Church  ever  remember 
this,  that  "unceasing,"  "fervent  prayer7'  is  "effectual77  with  God. 

2. — Peter  sleeping. — "What  a  picture  is  presented  !  All  is  excite- 
ment, bustle,  and  expectation  without  among  the  people,  who  were 
eagerly  waiting  for  the  day  to  dawn  when  Herod  would  order  Peter 
forth.  Within  the  prison,  that  same  night,  Peter  is  quietly  sleep- 
ing. He  no  doubt  fully  expected  to  die  the  next  day,  but  this  last 
night  is  not  spent  in  nervous  fear  or  agonized  distress.  He  was  in 
the  hand  of  God,  to  live  or  to  die.  It  is  true  that  we  often  read  of 
condemned  criminals  sleeping  the  night  before  their  execution,  just 
as  we  often  hear  of  the  wicked  dying  without  "bands  in  their  death  "  ; 
but  here  was  the  peaceful  sleep  of  a  believer  who  had  no  dread  of 
the  morrow.  He  was  not  as  agitated  as  the  people  and  the  king 
were.  We  can  fancy  him  even  dreaming  of  his  home  by  the  lake  of 
Galilee,  or  of  some  bright  scene  in  his  childhood.  Perhaps  in  antici- 
pation of  his  coming  death,  he  may  have  dreamed  of  heaven  and  his 
meeting,  in  the  presence  of  his  beloved  Lord,  of  his  friend  and 
brother  James,  who  had  but  a  few  days  ago  gone  up  on  high  to  join 
Stephen  in  heaven,  where  Jesus  was  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  Who 
knows  what  Peter  may  have  been  dreaming  ?  The  two  chains  with 
which  he  was  bound  to  the  soldiers  who  guarded  him,  and  the  keep- 
ers before  the  door  of  the  prison,  could  not  fetter  his  free  spirit,  or 
keep  his  dreams  within  those  four  prison  walls.  So  neither  were 
they  able  to  keep  him  there  when  God's  time  to  set  him  free  had 
come. 

3. — "Behold  an  angel  of  the  Lord.77 — Herod  was  actively  en- 
gaged in  preparing  for  Peter's  execution.     The  people  were  eagerly 


358  PETER   DELIVERED   FROM   PRISON. 

and  impatiently  awaiting  for  him  to  be  brought  out,  that  they  might 
quench  the  thirst  of  their  hatred  in  the  sight  of  his  blood.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  Church  was  praying,  perhaps  a  little  discouraged, 
as  the  hour  drew  near  for  Peter  to  be  brought  out  and  there  was  no 
sign  from  God  of  coming  deliverance.  God  had  seen  his  servant, 
and  knew  all  the  machinations  of  his  enemies ;  he  saw  his  Church  on 
their  knees,  had  heard  their  prayers,  and  had  dispatched  an  angel  to 
the  prison ;  perhaps  it  was  Peter's  former  angelic  friend  (ch.  v,  19) ; 
perhaps  it  was  his  guardian  angel.  (Heb.  i,  14.)  There  is  more  said 
about  angels  in  this  chapter  than  in  any  chapter  of  this  book,  or  any 
other  book  of  the  Bible.  Here  an  angel  comes  to  open  a  prison 
door ;  a  little  further  on  we  hear  the  believers  talking  of  Peter's 
angel,  as  though  the  fact  of  every  man's  guardian  angel  was  familiar 
to  believers  ;  and  still  further  on  we  read  of  an  angel  from  God  smit- 
ing the  murderous  and  blasphemous  Herod  dead  who  had  wrought 
so  much  wickedness.  Well,  let  us  rejoice  that  there  are  angels,  that 
they  are  God's  servants  and  our  ministering  spirits.  Who  knows 
how  near  and  how  many  of  them  are  engaged  on  our  behalf  all  the 
time!  How  the  angel  of  the  Lord  "came  upon  him  "we  do  not 
know ;  he  evidently  entered  independently  of  bolts  and  bars.  With 
the  angel's  advent  there  was  a  supernatural  light  shining  in  the 
prison,  perhaps  just  the  radiance  from  the  face  of  the  angel,  or  from 
his  raiment.  (Matt,  xxviii,  3;  Acts  viii,  15;  Rev.  xviii,  1.)  The 
various  stages  of  Peter's  awaking  and  deliverance  are  minutely  told. 
(i)  The  angel  smote  him  on  the  side.  Peter  was  sleeping  heavily,  and 
had  to  be  roughly  wakened,  even  as  God  has  sometimes  to  roughly 
wake  us  out  of  sleep,  (ii)  He  raised  him  up.  Perhaps  took  hold  of 
his  hand  to  lift  him,  as  we  often  do  heavy  sleepers  and  children, 
(iii)  He  spoke  to  him.  "  Arise  up  quickly."  Even  when  God  takes 
us  by  the  hand  and  raises  us  up,  he  bids  us  put  our  own  will  and 
strength  into  the  work  too.  So  Peter  had  taken  the  lame  man  by 
the  hand  when  he  commanded  him  to  rise  up  and  walk.  God  always 
gives  strength  to  fulfill  his  commands  ;  at  the  same  time  he  calls  upon 
us  to  work  together  with  him,  or  to  work  out  what  he  works  in  us  to 
will  and  to  do.  He  was  bidden  to  rise  up  quickly ;  for  though  it  was 
not  possible  to  frustrate  the  work  of  the  angel,  yet  God  conforms  his 
work  to  human  circumstances,  and  wishes  us  to  understand  that 
instant  and  prompt  obedience  to  his  word  is  the  way  of  blessing, 
(iv)  The  falling  off  of  his  chains.  All  this  time  the  soldiers  were  fast 
sleeping,  knowing,  as  they  supposed,  that  it  would  be  impossible  for 
their  prisoner  to  stir  without  arousing  them,  seeing  he  was  chained 
with  two  chains,  one  to  either  of  them.     But  God,  no  doubt,  caused 


THE   DELIVERANCE   OF    PETER.  359 

them  to  sleep  heavily,  and  the  touch  of  the  angel's  hand  released 
Peter  from  his  chains  without  disturbing  the  guards ;  even  as  the 
heavenly  light  did  not  penetrate  their  sleeping  eyes,  (v)  "  Gird 
thyself,  and  bind  on  thy  sandals."  Peter  was  going  out;  he  must  be 
prepared  for  the  journey  before  him.  His  under  garments  were 
loosely  fastened  while  he  slept,  and  his  sandals  lying  by.  We  may 
fancy  this  glorious  angel,  while  Peter  was  girding  his  loins,  handing 
him  his  sandals.  The  Master  had  done  more  than  that  for  Peter 
once  ;  he  had  washed  his  feet.  Why,  then,  should  not  an  angel  hand 
him  his  shoes?  (vi)  "Cast  thy  garment  about  thee  and  follow  me." 
This  garment  was  the  outer  garment  which  he  had  laid  off  that  he 
might  the  more  comfortably  sleep.  He  will  have  need  of  it  now,  for 
he  is  going  out  into  the  night  and  on  a  journey.  The  angel  will  lead 
the  way ;  Peter  had  but  to  follow.  God  might  dispense  with  our  few 
things  in  the  way  of  clothes  and  sandals,  but  he  will  not  have  us 
careless  about  these  things ;  nor  would  he  have  those  soldiers,  and 
them  who  would  come  to  inquire  of  Peter's  escape,  think  that  it  had 
been  done  in  hasty  stealth  or  fear.  When  Jesus  rose  from  the  dead, 
the  face  napkin  was  found  carefully  folded  up  and  laid  aside  on  a 
shelf. 

4. — Peter  out  of  the  prison. — Obeying  the  angel,  Peter  went 
out  of  the  prison,  following  the  angel,  "  and  he  wist  not  that  it  was 
true  which  was  done  by  the  angel,  but  thought  he  saw  a  vision." 
This  is  not  surprising.  Peter  was  amazed  by  what  was  happening 
so  quickly  and  so  silently.  It  was  all  so  strange  and  unlooked-for. 
It  was  so  surprisingly  delightful  to  be  thus  delivered,  and  especially 
to  be  thus  visited  by  God's  angel,  that  he  could  not  believe  it  to  be 
true,  but  thought  it  must  be  a  dream.  He  was  in  a  state  of  mind 
similar  to  that  of  the  Jews  when  they  were  suddenly  delivered  from 
their  long  captivity.  "When  the  Lord  turned  against  the  captivity 
of  Zion,  we  were  like  them  that  dream."  (Ps.  exxvi,  1.)  I  have 
often  heard  men  say,  who  have  been  suddenly  converted,  that  it  was 
difficult  to  realize  their  own  identity.  I  knew  one  man  who  was  con- 
verted one  night  in  an  evangelistic  meeting,  who  asked  his  wife  to 
pinch  him  or  strike  him  when  he  awoke  in  the  morning,  because,  he 
said,  "I  am  not  sure  that  I  am  I."  On  past  the  keepers,  out  of  the 
first  door,  and  past  the  keepers  of  the  second  ward,  to  the  outer  door 
(these  barriers  opening  of  themselves,  noiselessly  but  surely),  these 
two  went,  Peter  and  his  angel,  until  they  were  at  last  clear  of  the 
prison  altogether  and  in  a  certain  street.  What  a  lesson  is  this  for 
us !  There  are  no  obstacles,  human  or  material,  that  can  stand  in 
God's  way  when  he  has  a  work  to  do  or  a  mercy  to  accomplish.     Let 


360  PETER    DELIVERED   FROM   PRISON. 

us  thank  God  that  our  spirits,  souls,  and  bodies  are  committed  to  his 
hands  for  time  and  for  eternity. 

5. — Peter  left  alone. — After  they  were  well  out  of  the  prison 
and  away  from  its  precincts,  ' '  forthwith  the  angel  departed  from 
him."  I  have  no  doubt  this  sudden  desertion  by  the  angel  was  a 
grief  to  Peter  at  first ;  but  indeed  it  served  to  awaken  him  out  of  the 
semi-dazed  state  in  which  he  had  been  moving  ever  since  the  angel 
appeared  for  his  relief.  Two  good  things  resulted  from  the  depart- 
ure of  the  angel,  (i)  It  brought  Peter  to  a  full  consciousness  of  his 
deliverance.  Being  left  alone,  he  began  to  look  about  him  and  de- 
termine, by  the  ordinary  tests  of  waking  consciousness,  that  he  was 
really  delivered.  Presently,  as  it  were,  coming  to  himself,  he  said : 
"  Now  I  know  of  a  surety  that  the  Lord  hath  sent  his  angel  and  hath 
delivered  me."  This  is  a  great  blessing,  when  we  know  in  ourselves 
and  by  our  surroundings  that  God  has  wrought  a  good  work  in  us 
and  for  us.  Christians,  and  especially  young  converts,  long  for  sen- 
sible evidences  of  the  presence  of  God's  Spirit,  and  sometimes  refuse 
to  believe  that  they  have  been  delivered  unless  they  have  these  sen- 
sible evidences  ;  but,  upon  the  whole,  it  is  better  to  find  ourselves  de- 
livered from  old  sins,  in  new  spiritual  surroundings,  free  from 
bondage  and  chains  of  bad  habit,  than  to  have  mere  emotional  joys. 
It  is  on  the  ground  of  actual  deliverance  that  we  know  that  God  has 
set  us  free  from  the  power  of  Satan  and  brought  us  into  the  glorious 
liberty  of  the  sons  of  God.  (ii)  It  is  needful  that  we  should,  sooner 
or  later,  be  left  alone  to  "work  out  our  own  salvation."  Such  re- 
sponsibility may  involve  some  "fear  and  trembling"  at  first,  but  it 
is  good  for  us  to  be  left  to  decide  and  choose  our  own  course  of  ac- 
tion. The  child  would  scarce  learn  to  walk  if  the  mother  never 
withdrew  her  hand  and  left  it  to  "walk  alone,"  and  yet  not  entirely 
alone,  for  she  is  always  by  to  reach  out  her  strong  hand  if  there  is 
danger  of  falling,  or  to  lift  up  again  if  a  tumble  does  come.  Thus 
also  God  deals  with  us,  that  we  may  know  and  learn  to  quit  ourselves 
like  men.  How  blessed  it  is  to  know  that  God  is  always  near  at 
hand,  even  if  we  cannot  see  him,  and  that  angels  are  at  hand  to  min- 
ister, if  needs  be,  and  deliver  us  !  And  if  we  are  not  always  deliv- 
ered out  of  our  trouble,  but  are  sometimes  left  to  suffer  for  Christ, 
as  was  James,  we  may  still  be  sure  that  it  is  not  because  God's  ear 
is  heavy  that  he  cannot  hear  us  when  we  cry,  or  his  arm  shortened 
that  it  cannot  help. 


PETER   AND   THE   CHURCH.  361 


HI,— PETER  AND  THE   CHURCH. 

Standing  for  a  few  moments  in  the  street  where  the  angel  left 
him,  considering  these  things,  Peter  did  the  most  natural  thing  in 
the  world  for  him  to  do.  He  went  straight  to  the  house  of  Mary, 
the  sister  of  Barnabas  and  the  mother  of  Mark,  to  report  to  them  his 
deliverance.  This  house  was  one  of  the  various  meeting-places  of 
the  Church  in  Jerusalem,  and  perhaps  the  one  where  Peter  was  the 
most  intimate.  He  knew  they  would  be  anxious  on  his  account,  and 
his  thought  was  to  relieve  their  mind.  The  church  is  the  proper 
place  for  every  delivered  soul  to  go  to  first.  It  is  the  natural  place. 
On  another  occasion,  when  Peter  and  John  were  set  free,  we  read, 
"and  being  let  go,  they  went  to  their  own  company." 

But  a  strange  thing  happened  now.  When  Peter  came  and 
knocked  at  the  door,  which  was  fastened,  a  damsel  named  Rhoda 
came  to  respond  to  the  knock  and  to  inquire  who  was  there.  When 
she  recognized  the  voice  of  Peter,  for  gladness  and  joy,  she  forgot  to 
open  the  door,  but  ran  in  and  reported  to  those  inside.  They  re- 
ceived the  report  with  incredulity,  and  said  to  the  damsel,  "  Thou 
art  mad."  But  she  affirmed  that  it  was  "even  so."  Others  felt  con- 
fident that  she  was  right  in  recognizing  the  voice,  but  said  it  must 
have  been  his  angel.  What  just  is  meant  by  this  it  is  impossible  to 
tell.  Whatever  they  may  have  meant  by  "his  angel,"  the  point  of 
interest  and  instruction  is  that  the  Church,  which  was  so  earnest 
and  continuous  in  prayer  for  his  deliverance,  when  God  answered 
their  prayers  should  have  been  so  utterly  unbelieving.  They  evi- 
dently did  not  look  for  his  deliverance,  though  they  were  praying 
for  it.  On  the  other  hand,  we  learn  how  good  God  is  to  answer  even 
our  unbelieving  prayers.  He  recognizes  the  faith  that  exists,  in 
spite  of  unbelief,  or  alongside  of  it. 

Peter  continues  knocking  until  they  came  and  opened  the  door ; 
they  saw  him  and  were  astonished.  He  did  not  give  them  much 
time  to  talk  or  to  congratulate  him.  It  was  getting  toward  morn- 
ing ;  his  escape  would  presently  be  discovered  and  search  made  for 
him,  and  probably  at  that  very  house.  So  he  hastily  told  them  all 
that  God  had  done  for  him,  and  how  an  angel  had  come  from  heaven 
and  delivered  him,  and  then  bade  them  tell  James,  the  chief  pastor, 
and  the  brethren,  for  their  comfort  and  information. 

Having  thus  set  the  Church  at  rest  as  to  his  safety  and  given 
them  grounds  for  thanksgiving,  as  he  had  before  been  a  source  of 
anxiety  to  them,  he  quietly  departed  and  went  into  another  place — 


3G2  PETER   DELIVERED   FROM   PRISON. 

that  is,  into  another  city.  Peter  was  no  coward  that  he  did  not  re- 
main. What  good  would  come  of  his  falling  again  into  the  hands  of 
the  bloody  Herod?  In  this  case  he  simply  obeyed  the  injunction  of 
Christ  to  the  effect :  "If  they  persecute  you  in  one  city,  flee  ye  into 
another."  It  was  worth  while  being  put  in  prison  to  have  such  a 
deliverance ;  and  so  are  all  our  trials  and  afflictions  worth  while  in 
view  of  the  grace  given  to  bear  them  and  the  glorious  deliverances 
which  God  so  often  works  for  us. 


November  13,  1893. 


XLVI. 

THE  FIRST  CHRISTIAN   MISSIONARIES.— Acts  xiii,  1-13. 

(1)  Now  there  were  in  the  church  that  was  at  Antioch  certain  prophets  and  teach- 
ers; as  Barnabas,  and  Simeon  that  was  called  Niger,  and  Lucius  of  Cyrene,  and 
Manaen,  which  had  been  brought  up  with  Herod  the  tetrarch,  and  Saul.  (2)  As  they 
ministered  to  the  Lord,  and  fasted,  the  Holy  Ghost  said,  Separate  me  Barnabas  and 
Saul  for  the  work  whereunto  I  have  called  them.  (3)  And  when  they  had  fasted  and 
prayed,  and  laid  their  hands  on  them,  they  sent  them  away.  (4)  So  they,  being  sent 
forth  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  departed  unto  Seleucia;  and  from  thence  they  sailed  to 
Cyprus.  (5)  And  when  they  were  at  Salamis,  they  preached  the  word  of  God  in  tho 
synagogues  of  the  Jews :  and  they  had  also  John  to  their  minister.  (6)  And  when 
they  had  gone  through  the  isle  unto  Paphos,  they  found  a  certain  sorcerer,  a  false 
prophet,  a  Jew,  whose  name  was  Bar-je^us:  (7)  Which  was  with  the  deputy  of  the 
country,  Sergius  Paulus,  a  prudent  man;  who  called  for  Barnabas  and  Saul,  and 
desired  to  hear  the  word  of  God.  (8)  But  Elymas  the  sorcerer  (for  so  is  his  name  by 
interpretation)  withstood  them,  seeking  to  turu  away  the  deputy  from  the  faith.  (X) 
Then  Saul,  (who  also  is  called  Paul,)  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  set  his  eyes  o:i  him, 

(10)  And  said,  O  full  of  all  subtlety  and  all  mischief,  thou  child  of  the  devil,  thou 
enemy  of  all  righteousness,  wilt  thou  not  cease  to  pervert  the  right  ways  of  the  Lord  ? 

(11)  And  now,  behold,  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  upon  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  blind,  not 
seeing  the  sun  for  a  season.  And  immediately  there  fell  on  him  a  mist  and  a  dark- 
ness; and  he  went  about  seeking  some  to  lead  him  by  the  hand.  (12)  Then  the  dep- 
uty, when  he  saw  what  was  done,  believed,  being  astonished  at  the  doctrine  of  the 
Lord.  (13)  Now  when  Paul  and  his  company  loosed  from  Paphos,  they  came  to 
Perga  in  Pamphylia:  and  John  departing  from  them  returned  to  Jerusalem. — Acts 
xiii,  1-13. 

With  the  opening  of  this  chapter  the  second  half  of  the  Acts  of 
the  Apostles  "begins.  Hitherto  Luke  had  been  detailing  the  history 
preliminary  to  the  great  missionary  work,  which  carried  the  Gospel 
over  the  entire  Roman  world,  under  the  leadership  of  Paul,  the  great 
apostle  to  the  Gentiles.  Hitherto  Jerusalem  had  been  the  center  of 
the  new  Christian  movement  and  activity.  The  scene  changes  now 
to  the  Gentile  world ;  and  Antioch  becomes  the  center  of  the  Church's 
activity  and  enterprise.  Hitherto  Peter  and  John  and  James  were 
the  principal  actors ;  now  it  is  Paul  and  Barnabas.  The  eunuch  and 
Cornelius  were  in  a  sense  the  first-fruits  of  the  Gospel  among  the 
Gentiles,  but  these  two  were  closely  allied  to  the  movement  in  Judea, 
the  one  by  being  a  proselyte  and  the  other  by  being  a  long  resident 
in  the  land.     From  them  the  Gospel  does  not  spread  forth  into  a 

363 


364  THE   FIRST   CHRISTIAN   MISSIONARIES. 

general  movement  among  Gentiles.  But  here  the  ease  is  different. 
In  Antioch  the  Gospel  took  root  on  purely  Gentile  ground,  and  the 
movement  from  that  center  was  like  the  growth  of  a  banyan  tree, 
reaching  forth  and  dropping  new  branches  into  heathen  soil,  until 
all  Asia  and  Italy  were  covered  with  churches,  largely  made  up  of 
Gentile  believers.  Luke,  from  this  point,  gives  us  an  account  of 
that  great  missionary  movement,  from  its  proper  beginning  until  the 
end  of  Paul's  ministry.  As  at  Jerusalem,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost, 
we  saw  how  the  Spirit  inaugurated  his  mighty  work,  so  now  here  at 
Antioch  we  see  how  he  prosecutes  that  work  among  the  Gentiles, 
and  may  learn  something  of  the  development  of  Church  organiza- 
tion and  the  methods  of  the  Spirit's  work  among  men.  It  is  refresh- 
ing to  turn  away  from  the  elaborate  and  cumbersome  methods 
devised  by  men,  which  seem  rather  to  have  hindered  the  work  of  the 
Lord,  to  the  simple  methods  of  the  Spirit  under  which  such  marvel- 
ous progress  was  made  in  the  apostolic  age.  It  might  be  of  incal- 
culable benefit  to  the  Church  and  to  the  world,  if  we  could  and  would 
have  the  courage  to  return  to  these  primitive  methods.  We  see  no 
reason  why  they  are  not  as  good  for  our  time  as  for  the  times  of  Paul 
and  Barnabas. 

I.— THE   CHURCH  AT  ANTIOCH. 

In  a  previous  study  we  noticed  how  the  Church  was  gathered  at 
Antioch,  by  means  of  some  of  the  disciples  who  had  been  scattered 
abroad  in  the  persecution  which  arose  in  connection  with  the  ston- 
ing of  Stephen.  We  saw  how  several  of  these  disciples  were  led  to 
go  beyond  the  limited  field  of  the  Jews,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  the 
Greeks,  and  how  God  blessed  their  message,  and  gathered  in  great 
numbers  of  these  Gentiles,  until  they  became  the  dominating  num- 
ber of  believers ;  we  saw  how  Barnabas  was  sent  down  by  the  Church 
at  Jerusalem  to  inquire  into  this  new  movement,  and  how  he  rejoiced 
when  he  saw  that  the  grace  of  God  had  come  to  the  Gentiles ;  we 
saw  that  he  remained  with  them,  exhorting  and  preaching  the  word, 
until  the  work  becoming  too  great  for  him,  he  fetched  Saul — whom 
the  Church  at  Jerusalem  had  failed  to  call  into  their  fellowship  and 
labor, — finally,  we  saw  how  Saul  at  once  took  his  place  beside  Bar- 
nabas in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  shared  in  the  growing  prosper- 
ity of  that  prosperous  Church.  A  further  step  in  advance  is  now 
seen. 

1. — A  great  Church. — We  have  no  enumeration  of  its  member- 
ship, though  we  know  it  was  large.     A  Church  not  great  or  small 


THE   CHURCH   AT   ANTIOCH.  365 

according  to  its  numerical  strength,  but  according  to  its  gifts. 
Bethlehem  was  the  smallest  of  the  cities  of  Judea,  but  it  was  greater 
than  Jerusalem,  because  it  was  the  birthplace  of  Christ.  Bethany 
was  a  small  village,  but  it  became  great,  and  is  remembered  because 
of  Mary  and  Martha  and  Lazarus,  and  because  of  the  oft  visits  and 
the  great  miracles  of  Jesus.  Nazareth  was  a  mean  and  a  despised 
town,  but  it  became  more  famous  than  Rome,  as  the  home  of  Jesus, 
where  he  spent  his  boyhood,  and  from  which  he  went  forth  on  his 
Divine  mission  to  the  world.  In  the  same  way  this  little  planet  of 
ours,  a  mere  speck  in  the  universe,  is  the  most  distinguished  of 
them  all,  because  it  is  the  home  of  man,  created  in  the  image  of  God, 
and  the  theater  on  which  God  has  worked  out  his  great  scheme  of 
redemption,  by  the  Incarnation,  Sacrifice,  and  Resurrection  of  our 
Lord.  Now  Antioch  was  a  great  Church,  because  in  that  Church 
dwelt  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  to  that  Church  was  given  extraordinary 
gifts  in  the  persons  and  spiritual  endowments  of  a  company  of  re- 
markable men.  It  may  have  been,  and  probably  was,  a  rich  Church, 
though  no  mention  is  made  of  its  wealth,  beyond  a  certain  sum  of 
money  contributed  to  the  relief  of  the  poor  saints  at  Jerusalem. 
The  only  money  that  is  of  any  account  or  power  in  the  Church,  is 
that  which  is  freely  given  to  the  work  of  the  Lord.  A  Church  may 
have  a  dozen  millionaires  in  it,  and  may  still  be  a  poor  Church,  both 
in  gifts  and  beneficence.  This  was  a  Church  of  much  prayer,  of 
fasting,  and  of  intense  activity ;  and  all  because  the  Holy  Spirit  was 
honored  and  welcomed  among  its  members. 

2. — Its  prophets  and  teachers. — It  does  not  appear  that  there 
was  any  one  man  in  the  Church  who  was  pastor  or  chief  shepherd 
There  is  no  mention  of  elders  or  deacons ;  but  only  of  prophets  and 
teachers.  We  may  gather  from  this  that  the  Spirit  of  God  had  no 
regular  method  of  organizing  Churches,  but  gave  them  gifts  accord- 
ing to  their  need,  and  the  work  they  were  chosen  to  do.  It  is  es- 
pecially noticeable  that  no  apostle  ever  visited  this  Church,  at  least 
not  up  to  this  time,  nor  did  it  wait  for  apostolic  direction  or  sanction 
before  entering  upon  its  great  missionary  enterprise.  If  we  may 
have  the  presence  of  the  Spirit  with  us  to  endow  us  and  direct  our 
Church  work,  we  may  well  dispense  with  great  Church  dignitaries 
as  being  necessary  to  the  progress  of  the  Gospel  or  the  legitimacy  of 
its  work.  We  are  told  in  Eph.  iv,  11-13,  that  in  the  distribution  of 
gifts  Jesus  gave  some  apostles,  and  some  prophets,  and  some  evan- 
gelists, and  some  pastors  and  teachers,  for  the  perfecting  of  the 
saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  for  the  edifying  of  the  body 
of  Christ ;  but  we  are  not  told  that  he  gave  to  each  Church  all  these 


366  THE   FIRST   CHRISTIAN   MISSIONARIES. 

gifts,  or  that  the  presence  in  the  Church  of  all  these  orders  in  the 
ministry  were  necessary  to  its  proper  organization.  And  yet  good 
men  will  insist  -on  a  cut-and-dried  method  of  organization,  and  insist 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  must  conform  to  their  organization,  and  that  all 
the  Churches  of  Christ  must  be  organized  according  to  a  four-square 
rule.  On  the  contrary,  from  such  Churches  it  is  generally  seen  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  withdraws  himself,  and  leaves  them  to  their  own  de- 
vices, to  be  overlaid  and  killed  with  the  dry  rot  of  formalism.  Here 
is  the  group  of  eminent  men  who  wrought,  as  they  were  endowed,  in 
the  Church  at  Antioch.  "Barnabas,  and  Simon,  that  was  called 
Niger,  and  Lucius  of  Cyrene,  and  Manaen,  which  had  been  brought 
up  with  Herod  the  tetrarch,  and  Saul."  We  do  not  know  which  were 
prophets,  and  which  teachers.  It  is  most  likely  that  Barnabas  and 
Saul  were  teachers  particularly,  for  the  reason  that  they  were  not 
their  own  nominees  to  the  new  missionary  work,  but  were  probably 
indicated  by  the  prophets,  those  peculiarly  gifted  men  to  whom  the 
Spirit  made  special  revelation  of  his  will.  It  looks  peculiar  to  us, 
who  are  so  accustomed  to  think  of  Paul  as  being  the  very  chiefest  of 
all  the  apostles  and  servants  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  find  him  last  in  this 
list.  But  Saul  was  not  yet  fully  inducted  into  his  great  office  ;  and 
is  not  this  a  revelation  of  his  modesty  in  the  Church  of"  Antioch  ? 
He  was  not  a  worldly,  ambitious  man,  and  had  not  asserted  himself, 
by  claiming  any  precedency  over  these  other  brethren.  But  "  the 
last  shall  be  first,"  and  "he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted." 
3. — Its  great  missionary  enterprise.— It  is  true  that  the  send- 
ing forth  of  Barnabas  and  Saul  was  not  at  the  original  instigation  of 
the  Church  itself,  as  a  mere  human  device  or  the  result  of  mere 
human  wisdom  and  foresight ;  but  it  was  the  result  of  a  direct  reve- 
lation of  the  will  of  God  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  Nevertheless,  it  is  a 
sign  of  the  greatness  of  this  Church,  that  they  were  so  in  communion 
with  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  they  could  receive  this  revelation  and  act 
upon  it  promptly  and  heartily.  Under  God  they  inaugurated  a  mis- 
sionary enterprise  which  overturned  the  then  heathen  world,  planted 
the  standard  of  the  Cross  in  every  chief  city  of  the  Roman  Empire, 
and  overthrew  the  paganism  of  centuries. 

II.— THE   FIRST  MISSIONARIES. 

There  are  some  very  deep  and  fundamental  principles  opened  up 
to  our  study  in  the  very  brief  account  of  the  sending  forth  of  these 
two  men  upon  this  mighty  enterprise. 

1. — There  is  a  union  of  human  and  Divine  agencies. — We  are 


THE   FIRST    MISSIONARIES.  367 

told  that  God  called  them  to  the  work.  The  ministry,  then,  is  not 
primarily  a  human,  but  a  Divine,  calling.  All  the  Churches  in  the 
■world  may  send  forth  men  into  the  ministry ;  if  God  has  not  called 
them,  it  will  be  in  vain  that  they  minister.  Any  ambitious  man 
may,  of  his  own  motion,  "  choose  "  the  ministry  as  his  vocation ;  if 
God  has  not  called  him,  he  is  but  a  man  who  has  taken  this  honor  to 
himself,  and  is  an  intruder  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  at  least  in 
that  capacity.  Would  God  we  might  recover  a  profound  conviction 
that  the  ministry  of  the  word  is  a  calling  of  God,  and  not  of  self- 
choice,  or  of  the  appointment  of  men.  We  might  have  fewer  minis- 
ters, but  we  should  have  God-sent  ministers,  and  the  word  would  be 
"in  power  and  the  Holy  Ghost,"  and  not,  as  it  is  so  often  now,  "in 
word  only."  "Separate  me  Barnabas  and  Saul,  for  the  work  where- 
unto  I  have  called  them."  But  we  are  told,  also,  that  "they  laid 
their  hands  on  them  and  sent  them  away."  That  is,  obeying  the 
command  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Church,  through  their  prophets  and 
teachers,  formally  carried  out  that  command  by  a  solemn  ordination 
of  these  two  men.  It  has  pleased  God  to  call  us  into  fellowship  with 
himself  in  the  great  work  of  evangelizing  the  world.  Happy  are 
those  missionaries  who  have  been  called  by  God  to  the  work,  and 
then  formally  and  prayerfully  set  apart  by  ordination  of  his  Church 
to  carry  out  that  work  !  God  has  put  honor  on  his  Church,  by  ask- 
ing them  to  confirm,  by  their  solemn  act,  that  which  he  has  first  in- 
augurated. But  let  not  any  Church  suppose  that  they  have  any  orig- 
inal power  to  make  ministers  ;  or  any  company  of  ministers,  or  any 
bishops,  suppose  that  they  have  any  power  to  confer  spiritual  gifts, 
by  ordination,  upon  any  man.  On  the  other  hand,  let  no  man  sup- 
pose that  he  may  go  forth  without  God's  call  to  the  work,  whether 
he  have  or  have  not  the  formal  sanction  of  the  Church.  It  is  true 
that  the  Church  at  Antioch,  by  her  ministers,  "  separated  "  Barnabas 
and  Saul  to  this  special  work ;  but  in  after  years,  Paul  distinctly  de- 
clared that  his  real  separation  to  the  ministry  was  before  that,  "  even 
from  his  mother's  womb."  (Gal.  i,  15.)  Moreover,  he  is  careful  to 
affirm,  that  his  authority  as  an  apostle  was  not  received  from  man, 
nor  was  it  in  any  sense  by  man,  but  directly  from  God.  What  be- 
comes, then,  of  the  claim  to  apostolic  succession  made  by  some,  and 
the  prohibition  laid  on  all  men,  that  they  shall  not  preach  Christ's 
Gospel  unless  they  have  been  ordained  of  man.  The  facts  men- 
tioned here  are  not  for  hard  and  fast  rules,  but  only  to  indicate  the 
Holy  Spirit's  methods  in  certain  cases,  as  founded  upon  certain  great 
principles  of  co-operation  between  God  and  his  people.  The  claim, 
that  this  ordination  by  the  prophets  and  teachers  at  Antioch  was 


368  THE   FIRST   CHRISTIAN   MISSIONARIES. 

Paul's  formal  induction  into  the  apostolate,  Paul  himself  repudiates. 
It  was  simply  a  confirmation,  by  the  Church,  of  the  choice  of  God  for 
these  two  men  to  do  certain  work. 

2. — They  ministered  and  fasted. — Here  we  have  a  hint  as  to  the 
circumstances  under  which  we  may  expect  direct  communications 
and  direction  from  the  Holy  Ghost.  Service  and  personal  consecra- 
tion is  the  way  to  the  secrets  of  God.  Men  and  women  who  are  so 
serving  him  will  not  lack  for  communications  and  direction  from  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

3. — They  sent  them  away. — What  an  appalling  task  was  as- 
signed to  them  !  It  is  hardly  possible  for  us  to  conceive  the  super- 
human difficulties  that  these  two  men  were  sent  away  to  confront. 
The  taking  of  the  land  of  Canaan  from  the  giant  sons  of  Anak,  and 
the  capture  of  Jericho,  in  spite  of  its  great  walls,  were  child's  play 
to  the  task  to  which  Barnabas  and  Saul  were  sent.  They  had  to  con- 
front the  combined  powers  of  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil ;  yet 
they  went  forth,  and  triumphed.  They  did  not  stop  either  to  con- 
sider difficulties  or  to  count  the  cost ;  God  had  separated  them  to 
that  work,  and  their  brethren  had  sent  them  to  it,  cheered  no  doubt 
by  the  thought  that  the  Holy  Ghost  had  called  them ;  and  refreshed 
by  the  memory  of  those  days  of  solemn  fasting  and  prayer  which 
preceded  their  ordination,  they  went  forth  boldly.  Not  until  the 
writer  came  to  India,  and  had  spent  months  in  the  very  midst  of 
heathenism,  did  he  have  any  just  conception  of  the  enormous  and, 
humanly  speaking,  impossible  task  which  God  and  the  Church  laid 
upon  these  two  brethren.  If  God  has  sent,  and  the  Church  follows 
that  sending  with  fasting  and  prayer,  all  the  powers  of  earth,  the 
carnal  mind,  and  hell  itself,  cannot  withstand  the  Gospel.  Praise 
God  for  his  presence  with  every  missionary,  divinelv  called,  and 
prayerfully  backed  up  by  the  Church. 

Ill— FIRST  MISSIONARY  WORK. 

"So  they  being  sent  forth  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  What  a  suggest- 
ive word  is  this  !  So  soon  as  they  left  the  Church  and  their  breth- 
ren behind  them,  their  stay  and  strength  was  the  Holy  Ghost  only. 
He  it  was  who  had  sent  them  forth,  and  he  it  was  to  whom  they  were 
to  look  for  help  and  for  power.  We  cannot  take  the  Church  with  us, 
though  the  Church  may  follow  us  with  her  prayers,  but  we  may 
always  have  the  Blessed  Holy  Spirit. 

1. — From  Antioch  to  Cyprus. — What  missionary  does  not  re- 
member his  first  voyage  to  the  missionary  field?     They  first  went 


FIRST   MISSIONARY   WORK.  369 

down  to  Selucia,  which  was  the  seaport  of  Antioeh,  and  there  they 
took  ship  to  the  island  of  Cyprus,  about  one  hundred  miles  south- 
west from  the  main  coast.  They  first  landed  at  Salamis,  a  conven- 
ient port  on  the  eastern  end  of  the  island,  a  city  of  great  population, 
in  which  there  were  many  Jews.  The  Gospel  had  already  been 
preached  on  this  island  by  some  of  the  Pentecost  converts.  (Acts 
xi,  19.)  This  fact  probably  determined  them  to  go  there  first,  as 
being  likely  to  find  a  little  fellowship  and  support.  At  Salamis  they 
entered  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews  and  preached  the  word  of  God. 
What  result  came  from  this  first  essay  at  missionary  work,  we  are 
not  informed.  It  is  likely  they  made  no  converts.  At  any  rate, 
Luke  makes  no  record  of  any  such  results.  From  Salamis  they  seem 
to  have  gone  overland  to  Paphos,  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  island ; 
it  was  the  city  of  the  Cyprian  Venus,  and  apparently  the  residence 
of  the  Proconsul  Sergius-Paulus. 

2. — Sergius-Paulus. — This  was  the  name  of  the  deputy  of  Rome, 
the  Viceroy  of  the  island.  How  long  Barnabas  and  Saul  had  been 
in  Paphos  preaching,  we  do  not  know,  but  after  a  certain  time,  the 
news  of  them  and  their  doctrine  came  to  the  ears  of  the  deputy,  and 
he  sent  for  them  and  desired  to  hear  the  word  of  God.  This  was 
certainly  an  encouragement  to  the  missionaries.  What  might  have 
been  the  original  motive  of  the  Proconsul,  is  not  stated ;  but  we  may 
infer  that  it  was  a  sincere  desire  to  hear  the  new  doctrine,  for  we 
are  told  that  he  was  a  "prudent  man,"  which  probably  means  a 
man  of  knowledge  and  of  a  candid  mind,  open  to  hear  and  learn 
wherever  he  could.  We  know  from  Roman  history  that  he  was  a 
thoughtful  and  studious  person,  who  left  books  behind  him,  and  was 
considered  an  authority  on  astronomical  subjects.  It  is  not  often 
that  the  chief  ruler  of  a  province  takes  much  interest  in  the  word  of 
God,  and  still  less  often  does  he  voluntarily  send  for  the  preachers 
to  come  and  unfold  their  doctrine  to  him. 

3. — Elymas  the  sorcerer. — This  man  was  an  apostate  Jew,  who 
had  turned  his  attention  to  magic  and  astrology.  He  was  no  doubt 
a  clever  and  well-informed  man.  Perhaps  it  was  his  knowledge  of 
the  particular  branches  of  study  that  were  of  interest  to  the  Procon- 
sul which  had  enabled  him  to  fasten  himself  as  a  parasite  on  to  the 
governor.  At  any  rate,  he  saw  that,  if  Sergius  listened  to  the  word 
of  God,  and  heeded  that  word,  his  occupation  was  gone.  His  place 
as  magician  or  astrologer  to  the  deputy  was  one  of  honor,  and  of 
course  of  emolument,  and  the  Gospel  was  likely  to  interfere  with  his 
craft.  So  he  withstood  Barnabas  and  Saul.  That  is,  while  they  were 
preaching  to  the  governor,  he  put  in  "  his  oar  "  and  sought  to  turn 


370  THE   FIRST   CHRISTIAN   MISSIONARIES. 

away  the  deputy  from  the  faith ;  for  it  is  evident  that  he  was  being 
profoundly  impressed.  We  may  be  sure  that,  wherever  the  Gospel 
is  being  faithfully  and  successfully  preached,  the  devil,  by  some 
means  or  other,  will  seek  to  turn  away  men  from  the  faith.  Some- 
times it  will  be  by  men  of  the  baser  sort,  sometimes  by  violent  haters 
of  the  Gospel,  who  pose  as  learned  and  scientific  men,  and  some- 
times it  is  by  narrow-minded  and  sectarian  ministers  of  the  Gospel 
( ?)  who  are  jealous  of  the  work  of  other  servants  of  God,  and  raise 
the  cry  against  those  whom  they  suppose  are  "  drawing  away  "  from 
their  temple.  But  it  is  a  good  sign  that  effective  work  is  being  done 
when  these  opponents  arise.  The  devil  makes  no  attack  when  min- 
isters and  missionaries  are  making  no  converts. 

4. — The  judgment  of  God  on  the  false  prophet. — For  the  first 
time  we  see  Saul  (now  called  Paul)  standing  forth  in  the  first  place. 
He  was  suddenly  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost ;  that  is,  there  came 
upon  him  a  sudden  and  overwhelming  impulse  from  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and,  instead  of  seeking  by  argument  to  answer  the  sorcerer,  he 
fastened  his  eyes  upon  him,  and  with  a  few  scathing  words  tore  the 
mask  from  him,  and  revealed  him  in  his  true  character.  Then  by  a 
word  of  great  severity,  yet  tempered  with  mercy,  pronounced  the 
doom  of  temporary  blindness  upon  him.  "  O,  full  of  all  subtility 
and  mischief,  thou  child  of  the  devil,  thou  enemy  of  all  righteous- 
ness, wilt  thou  not  cease  to  pervert  the  right  ways  of  the  Lord  ? " 
This  was  a  severe  speech,  but  merited.  "  And  now  behold  the  hand 
of  the  Lord  is  upon  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  blind  for  a  season." 
"For  a  season."  This  implies  that  there  was  to  be  space  given  him 
for  repentance.  Paul's  words  immediately  took  effect,  and  a  "mist 
and  a  darkness  fell  upon  him  ;  and  he  went  about  seeking  for  some 
one  to  lead  him  by  the  hand."  God's  miracles  are  all  said  to  be  on 
the  principle  of  quickening  natural  processes.  Here  was  a  judg- 
ment in  the  flesh,  which  points  to  a  more  severe  judgment  that  will 
fall  upon  men  who  pervert  the  ways  of  truth  and  righteousness. 
God  will  give  them  over  to  their  own  ways,  their  foolish  hearts 
will  become  darkened,  and  in  vain  will  they  seek  a  way  out  of  that 
darkness.  Persistent  unbelief,  and  determined  opposition  to  the 
Gospel  will  certainly  so  end  with  men  who  give  themselves  to  that 
course. 

5. — A  distinguished  convert. — When  the  deputy,  who  had  been 
almost  persuaded  before  by  the  doctrine  of  the  missionaries,  saw 
that  God  was  present  with  them  in  such  power  to  back  up  the  truth, 
he  at  once  surrendered,  and  himself  became  a  believer — let  us  hope, 
an  open  and  honest  follower  of  Jesus  Christ.     On  this  point,  how- 


FIKST   MISSIONARY   WORK.  371 

ever,  we  know  nothing,  any  more  than  we  know  whether  there  were 
others  in  the  city  who  believed  or  not.  Paxil  not  only  won  a  con- 
vert, but  he  also  won  a  distinguished  friend.  It  is  singular  that 
from  this  time  he  changes  his  name  to  Paul,  or  Paulus.  Perhaps  it 
was  in  honor  of  Sergius  Paulus,  the  first  great  trophy  of  his  preach- 
ing. 

6. — John  (Mark)  leaves  the  company. — We  are  told  that  John- 
Mark  had  accompanied  the  party,  (v.  5.)  For  some  reason  he  takes 
his  departure,  and  returns  to  Jerusalem.  John  was  the  nephew  of 
Barnabas.  Perhaps,  now  that  he  saw  Paul  becoming  head  of  the 
party,  he  did  not  feel  so  ready  to  be  their  minister  as  when  his  uncle 
Barnabas  was  head.  This  sudden  promotion  of  Paul  over  his  head 
did  not  affect  the  good  Barnabas.  Barnabas  was  the  discoverer  of 
Paul  in  a  very  real  sense.  He  was  not  jealous  of  his  superior  abil- 
ities and  endowments,  but  rejoiced  in  them,  and  was  willing  to  be 
second  to  Paul,  as  he  had  been  willing  at  first  to  head  the  mission- 
ary party.  We  shall  hear  of  John-Mark  again,  and  how  he  made 
trouble  between  Barnabas  and  Saul. 


November  3U,  1892. 


XLVII. 
PAUL'S  FIRST  MISSIONARY  SERMON.—  Acts  xiii,  26-43. 

(2C)  Men  and  brethren,  children  of  the  stock  of  Abraham,  and  whosoever  among 
you  feareth  Gcd,  to  you  is  the  word  of  this  salvation  sent.  (27)  For  they  that  dwell 
at  Jerusalem,  and  their  rulers,  because  they  knew  him  not,  nor  yet  the  voices  of  the 
prophets  which  are  read  every  sabbath  day,  they  have  fulfilled  them  in  condemning 
him.  (28)  And  though  they  found  no  cause  of  death  in  him,  yet  desired  they  Pilate 
that  he  should  be  slain.  (29)  And  when  they  had  fulfilled  all  that  was  written  of 
him,  they  took  him  down  from  the  tree,  and  laid  him  in  a  sepulchre.  (30)  But  God 
raised  him  from  the  dead:  (31)  And  he  was  seen  many  days  of  them  which  came  up 
with  him  from  Galilee  to  Jerusalem,  who  are  his  witnesses  unto  the  people.  (3£) 
And  we  declare  unto  you  glad  tidings,  how  that  the  promise  which  was  made  unto 
the  fathers,  (33)  God  hath  fulfilled  the  same  unto  us  their  children,  in  that  he  hath 
raised  up  Jesus  again;  as  it  is  also  written  in  the  second  psalm,  Thou  art  my  Son, 
this  day  have  I  begotten  thee.  (34)  And  as  concerning  that  he  raised  him  up  from 
the  dead,  now  no  more  to  return  to  corruption,  he  said  on  this  wise,  I  will  give  you 
the  sure  mercies  of  David.  (35)  Wherefore  he  saith  also  in  another  psalm,  Thou  shalt 
not  suffer  thine  Holy  One  to  see  corruption.  (36)  For  David,  after  he  had  served  his 
own  generation  by  the  will  of  God,  fell  on  sleep,  and  was  laid  unto  his  fathers,  and 
saw  corruption:  (37)  But  he,  whom  God  raised  again,  saw  no  corruption.  (38)  Be  it 
known  unto  you  therefore,  men  and  brethren,  that  through  this  man  is  preached  unto 
you  the  forgiveness  of  sins:  (39)  And  by  him  all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all 
things,  from  which  ye  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses.  (40)  Beware 
therefore,  lest  that  come  upon  you,  which  is  spoken  of  in  the  prophets  ;  (41)  Behold, 
ye  despisers,  and  wonder,  and  perish :  for  I  work  a  work  in  your  days,  a  work  which 
ye  shall  in  no  wise  believe,  though  a  man  declare  it  unto  you.  (12)  And  when  the 
Jews  were  gone  out  of  the  synagogue,  the  Gentiles  besought  that  these  words  might 
be  preached  to  them  the  nest  sabbath.  (13)  Now  when  the  congregation  was  broken 
up,  many  of  the  Jews  and  religious  proselytes  followed  Paul  and  Barnabas;  who, 
speaking  to  them,  persuaded  them  to  continue  in  the  grace  of  God.— Acts  xiii,  2C-43. 

Having  finished  their  mission  to  the  inhabitants  of  Cyprus,  Paul 
and  his  party  sailed  from  Paphos  to  Perga,  in  Pamphylia,  a  prov- 
ince in  Asia  Minor.  It  was  here  that  John  (Mark)  left  the  party  and 
returned  to  Jerusalem,  as  mentioned  in  our  last  study.  Henceforth 
it  is  Paul  and  his  company,  and  not  Barnabas  and  Paul  as  hereto- 
fore. No  doubt  Paul  had  spoken  and  preached  before ;  indeed,  wo 
know  that  he  preached  the  word  to  the  Proconsul  at  Paphos ;  but  we 
have  no  recorded  address  of  his  until  he  came  to  Antioch,  in  Pisidia. 
We  must  not  confound  this  Antioch  with  the  Antioch  where  the 
first  Gentile  Church  was  formed,  and  which  sent  Barnabas  and  Paul 

372 


PAUL'S   FIRST   MISSIONARY   SERMON.  373 

forth  on  their  missionary  journey.  There  was  a  synagogue  in  this 
Antioeh  also.  The  fact  that  there  were  Jews  and  a  synagogue  in 
any  city  seemed  to  be  the  guiding  reason  for  visiting  such  a  center. 
It  was  no  doubt  the  settled  policy  of  these  missionaries  to  give  the 
Gospel  or  the  offer  of  life  in  Jesus  to  the  ancient  people  first,  and 
they  were  also  sure  to  find  in  the  congregations  gathered  in  these 
synagogues  certain  Greeks  who,  having  become  dissatisfied  with 
heathenism,  were  attracted  to  the  teachings  of  the  Jews  in  respect 
of  the  God  of  the  Bible.  In  this  dispersion  of  the  Jews  over  the  then 
known  world,  the  providence  of  God  was  seen ;  for  by  it  the  heathen 
were  prepared  to  receive  the  Gospel.  In  this  respect  the  first  mis- 
sionaries had  a  great  advantage  over  modern  missionaries.  The 
providence  of  God  to-day  in  this  respect  is  seen  in  the  dispersion  of 
the  Anglo-Saxon  race  over  the  whole  face  of  the  earth.  Alas  !  that 
in  so  many  cases  they  should  give  such  a  false  testimony  to  the  God 
of  the  Bible  and  to  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  generally  the 
case  now  that  the  missionaries  themselves  have  to  break  ground  and 
establish  a  testimony  distinct  from  that  of  the  so-called  Christian 
foreigners  in  heathen  lands.  This  may  in  part  account  for  the  com- 
paratively slow  progress  that  is  seen  in  such  countries  as  India  and 
China.  It  is  very  noticeable,  however,  that  the  heathen  are  begin- 
ning, though  slowly,  to  discriminate  between  real  Christians  and 
those  who  are  but  nominally  so.  Paul  and  Barnabas,  with  their 
company,  went  into  the  synagogue,  and  sitting  down  waited  till  the 
regular  service  of  reading  the  Scriptures  was  over.  The  ruler  of  the 
synagogue  noticing  these  stranger  Jews  in  the  congregation,  follow- 
ing the  usual  custom  of  inviting  strangers  to  speak  to  the  people  if 
they  were  so  inclined,  sent  to  ask  if  they  had  any  message  to  give. 
What  a  beautiful  custom  it  was !  It  testified  to  the  fact  that  the 
Jews  were  not  ashamed  of  their  doctrine,  and  could,  as  a  rule,  count 
on  every  Jew,  whether  he  had  ever  been  seen  by  them  or  not,  as  a 
man  who  was  not  ashamed  of  his  religion.  Paul,  responding  to  this 
invitation,  stood  up,  and  beckoning  with  his  hand,  courteously  ad- 
dressed the  congregation.  This  marked  a  further  stage  of  that  con- 
flict between  Christianity,  Judaism,  and  heathenism  that  thencefor- 
ward went  on.  How  we  need  men  of  like  mind  in  our  day  who  are 
ready,  under  all  circumstances,  "to  stand  up  for  Jesus."  It  is  re- 
markable, in  this  first  recorded  address  of  Paul,  to  notice  how  closely 
he  follows  the  method  of  both  Peter  and  Stephen,  though  there  is  a 
marked  difference  in  the  composition  of  his  address  from  those  of 
either  of  his  predecessors  in  this  great  work  of  defense  and  propaga- 
tion.    It  was  a  sure  way  of  gaining  the  attention  of  the  Jews  to 


374  PAUL'S   FIRST   MISSIONARY   SERMON. 

review  their  history,  of  which  they  were  proud,  and  justly  so.  In 
preaching  to  the  educated  natives  of  India  I  have  found  this  method 
also  the  surest  way  of  gaining  their  attention,  and  securing  their  in- 
terest in  the  message  of  God  to  them,  by  basing  it  on  the  history 
connected  with  the  coming  of  Christ  into  the  world.  Passing  down 
the  stream  of  history  to  the  advent  of  John  the  Baptist,  Paul  points 
out  that  this  last  and  greatest  of  the  Jewish  prophets  gladly  dis- 
claimed for  himself  any  importance  beyond  that  of  a  witness  to  the 
claims  of  Jesus  to  be  the  Messiah,  the  shoes  of  whose  feet  he  de- 
clared he  was  not  worthy  to  unloose.  At  this  point  Paul  concluded 
the  first  part  of  his  address,  and  begins  the  second  part  by  addressing 
the  whole  congregation,  tenderly  speaking  to  the  Jews  as  "  men  and 
brethren,  children  of  Abraham,  and  to  the  Gentiles  assembled  with 
them,  by  adding  this  word,  "and  whosoever  among  you,  feareth 
God."  To  them,  both  Jews  and  Greeks,  he  declares,  "is  the  word 
of  this  salvation  sent."  By  this  declaration  he  at  once  throws  down 
the  middle  wall  of  partition  which  had  hitherto  separated  them,  and 
preaches  Jesus  as  the  common  Saviour  of  them  both.  A  beautiful, 
masterful,  and  adroit  introduction  to  what  he  had  further  to  say  to 
them! 

I.— THE   HISTORICAL  BASIS   OF  THE   GOSPEL. 

The  religion  of  the  Jews  is  undoubtedly  based  on  historical  reve- 
lation. This  also  is  the  evidential  strength  of  Christianity,  which  is 
not  a  new  religion,  but  the  perfected  flower  and  fruit  of  the  old  Jew- 
ish faith.  St.  Paul  now  proceeds  to  show  this,  before  delivering  to 
them  his  great  and  glowing  message  of  forgiveness  and  justification. 

1. — Ignorant  students  of  the  Scriptures. — It  does  not  follow  that 
because  men  read,  or  even  study,  the  Scriptures,  they  are  either 
wise  unto  salvation  or  godly  in  their  life.  This  fact  is  abundantly 
proved  in  the  case  of  the  Jews,  both  people  and  rulers.  How  is  this 
proved  ?  He  states  the  case  simply.  When  Jesus  came  they  knew 
him  not,  nor  did  they  understand  the  prophets  which  were  read  and 
expounded  every  Sabbath  day  throughout  all  their  land,  but  uncon- 
sciously fulfilled  them  in  condemning  him  whom  they  should  have 
received  as  their  Messiah.  John  sets  this  forth  in  the  first  chapter 
of  his  Gospel,  saying :  "  He  came  to  his  own  and  his  own  received 
him  not."  Jesus  stated  the  same  thing  to  the  people,  and  the  rulers 
themselves,  when  he  said  to  them  :  "  Ye  search  the  Scriptures,  for  in 
them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life.  But  they  are  they  that  testify 
of  me,  and  ye  will  not  come  unto  me  that  ye  might  have  life.     (John 


THE   HISTORICAL   BASIS   OF   THE   GOSPEL.  375 

v,  39,  40.)  What  a  melancholy  fact  is  this,  that  with  the  Scriptures 
in  our  hands  and  heard  every  Sabbath  day  from  the  pulpit,  still  they 
are  not  understood,  still  Jesus  is  rejected  by  the  multitude.  Is  this 
because  of  the  obscurity  of  the  Scriptures,  or  the  lack  of  ability  in 
men  to  understand  them?  Is  it  not  rather,  as  Jesus  said:  Because 
"Ye  have  not  the  love  of  God  in  you."  (John  v,  42.)  How  pertinent 
and  solemn  the  warning  and  exhortation  of  Jesus  to  "take  heed  how 
ye  hear."  Yet  neither  the  carelessness  nor  the  ignorance  of  men 
will  prevent  God  from  fulfilling  his  promises  to  the  world  and  carry- 
ing out  his  gracious  and  loving  purposes  toward  this  lost  world.  The 
scoffers  who  have  arisen  in  this  day  concerning  Jesus  and  his  Gos- 
pel, are  as  surely  fulfilling  the  Scriptures  in  the  rejection  of  Christ 
as  the  Jews  were  of  old  in  failing  to  recognize  in  him  the  promised 
Messiah.     (II.  Pet.  iii,  3,  4.) 

2. — The  death  of  Jesus. — Paul  now  goes  a  step  further.  It  is 
bad  enough  not  to  recognize  in  Jesus  the  promised  Saviour,  but  it  is 
infinitely  worse  to  deliberately  reject  him  when  he  comes.  This  the 
Jews  did.  They  were  not  content  with  simply  taking  the  position 
that  he  was  not  the  Messiah,  but,  though  they  found  no  fault  in  him, 
and  vainly  tried  to  convict  him  of  blasphemy,  so  bitter  were  they 
against  him,  so  incensed  at  his  unanswerable  teaching  and  exposi- 
tion of  the  Scriptures,  that  they  falsely  accused  him  before  the 
Boman  Governor  as  being  a  political  revolutionist.  They  did  not 
cease  their  evil  work  until  they  had  secured  his  execution,  and  saw 
him  taken  down  from  the  cross  and  buried.  This  is  the  usual  course 
of  unbelief.  It  is  not  content  to  reject  Jesus,  but  it  must  turn  men 
into  haters  of  him,  and  stir  them  up  to  persecution,  even  though 
they  find  no  fault  in  him.  Paul  refers  in  these  two  verses  to  the 
progress  of  events  as  detailed  in  Luke's  Gospel  (eh.  xxiii).  In  this 
he  points  out  again  how  literally  they  fulfill  the  Scriptures  even  down 
to  the  very  minutest  details,  such  as  crucifying  him  between  two 
thieves,  parting  his  garments  among  the  soldiers,  and  offering  him 
vinegar  while  on  the  cross.  (Luke  xxiii,  32-34. )  In  all  this  Paul 
appeals  to  the  Scriptures  in  connection  with  the  incidents  in  the  life, 
death,  and  burial  of  Christ,  to  show  that  he  could  be  none  other  than 
that  One  of  whom  "  Moses  in  the  law  and  all  the  prophets  did  write." 

3. — The  resurrection  of  Jesus  from  the  dead. — "But  God  raised 
him  from  the  dead."  How  contentious  is  this  simple  declaration  ! 
The  people  that  dwelt  in  Jerusalem  and  their  rulers,  ignorant  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  moved  by  a  bitter  and  unreasoning  enmity,  rested 
not  day  or  night  until  they  had  slain  Jesus.  His  two  friends,  Joseph 
and  Nicodemus,  buried  him  in  the  grave,  but  this  was  not  the  end. 


376  PAUL'S   FIRST   MISSIONARY   SERMON. 

It  was  the  end  of  man's  work  with  Jesus,  both  in  hatred  and  love ; 
but  now  God  moves  his  hand  and  undoes  their  work  by  raising  him 
from  the  dead.  In  the  early  part  of  Paul's  speech  he  ascribes  all  the 
great  events  in  the  history  of  the  Israelites  to  the  doing  of  God. 
Seven  times  in  his  brief  review  he  reminds  his  hearers  that  it  was 
God  who  had  wrought  in  all  these  great  epochs  of  their  history.  What 
a  grip  Paul  had  on  God  !  Now  he  returns  to  this  central  theme  and 
tells  them  that  God,  who  had  in  the  beginning  chosen  them  as  a  na- 
tion, delivered  them  out  of  Egypt,  led  them  about  in  the  wilderness, 
driven  out  the  inhabitants  of  their  land  to  make  room  for  them,  who 
had  given  them  Judges,  raised  up  Samuel,  Saul,  and  David,  and 
given  them  great  promises  concerning  the  Coming  One,  had  now 
raised  up  Jesus  from  the  dead.  Jesus  was  then  a  part  of  their  history, 
and  was  to  be  received  from  God  just  as  they  accepted  everything 
else  God  had  done  for  them.  As  concerning  his  resurrection,  he  is 
careful  to  remind  them  that  it  was  no  idle  tale,  but  a  veritable  fact, 
testified  to  by  those  witnesses  who  had  been  with  him  from  Galilee 
to  Jerusalem,  and  who  were  now  testifying  this  great  fact  to  the  peo- 
ple. He  does  not  speak  of  himself  as  being  an  eye-witness  of  the 
resurrection,  but  appeals  to  those  witnesses  who  were.  Thank  God 
the  coming  of  Jesus,  his  death,  burial,  and  resurrection,  is  no  idle 
dream  or  mythical  fable  of  men,  but  a  solid  historical  fact,  based  on 
historical  testimony  and  the  eye-witness  of  many  men  who  were  with 
him  from  the  beginning,  and  whose  testimony  can  no  more  be  im- 
peached on  the  point  of  the  resurrection  than  it  can  on  the  point  of 
his  crucifixion. 

H.— THE   TESTIMONY   OF   PROPHECY. 

The  glad  tidings  of  salvation  which  they  came  to  declare  to  the 
people  not  only  rested  on  the  fact  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  from 
the  dead,  but  also  upon  the  fact  that  the  resurrection  was  the  out- 
come of  God's  purpose,  testified  to  the  holy  nation  by  a  long  series 
of  prophecies  which  could  possibly  have  no  meaning  or  fulfillment 
except  as  seen  in  the  life,  death,  and  resurrection  of  Jesus.  There 
are  those  who  tell  us  that  the  story  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  from 
the  dead  was  the  invention  of  his  disciples  to  prop  up  and  revive 
their  cause,  which  collapsed  on  the  death  of  their  Master.  This  is 
utter  foolishness,  because  the  apostles  not  only  testified  of  the  resur- 
rection as  a  fact  immediately  after  it  occurred,  and  in  the  very  city 
where  he  had  been  crucified,  and  to  the  very  people  who  had  slain 
him ;  but  they  constantly  appealed  to  the  Scriptures  to  show  that 


THE   TESTIMONY  OF   PROPHECY.  377 

this  very  event  as  well  as  his  crucifixion  had  been  foretold.  Paul  in 
particular  rings  the  changes  on  this  fact :  "  According  to  the  Script- 
ures." ''  Which  God  afore  promised  in  the  Scriptures."  He  pro- 
ceeds now  to  call  their  attention  to  these  Scriptural  prophecies  con- 
cerning the  resurrection:  "And  we  declare  glad  tidings  unto  you, 
how  that  the  promises  which  were  made  unto  our  fathers,  God  hath 
fulfilled  the  same  unto  us,  their  children,  in  that  he  hath  raised  up 
Jesus  from  the  dead."  He  then  proceeds  to  point  out  a  few  from 
among  these  promises. 

1. — The  promises  to  David. — David  was  the  central  figure  in 
the  Old  Testament  history  around  whom  all  the  Messianic  promises 
gathered.  Paul  selects  three  promises  to  which  he  appeals  to  show 
that,  while  they  were  given  primarily  to  David  as  the  great  prototype 
of  Messiah,  they  could  not  have  been  possibly  fulfilled  except  in  the 
person  of  David's  greater  Son,  the  true  Messiah  ;  and  that  Jesus  was 
this  promised  Messiah,  was  surely  seen  in  the  fact  that  those  prom- 
ises were  fulfilled  to  the  very  letter  in  him.  (i)  The  promise  in  the 
second  psalm:  "Thou  art  my  Son;  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee." 
The  promise  here  given  referred  indeed  in  a  minor  sense  to  David, 
but  we  have  only  to  read  that  psalm  to  see  that  it  was  never  fulfilled, 
in  any  sense  commensurate  with  its  largeness,  in  David  or  in  his  time, 
or  in  the  time  or  reign  of  any  of  his  successors.  He  couples  this 
promise  with  the  fact  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ  from  the  dead,  to 
see  corruption  no  more  ;  that  is,  to  be  eternally  free  from  the  power 
of  death ;  to  show  how  it  was  only  in  such  a  fact  that  the  "  sure  mer- 
cies of  David"  (Is.  lv,  3;  II.  Sam.  vii,  12,  13,  18,  19)  could  be 
secured  to  the  people,  for  that  covenant  was  not  to  David  finally,  but 
David's  son.  For  he  said :  "  When  thy  days  be  fulfilled  and  thou 
shalt  sleep  with  thy  fathers,  I  will  set  up  thy  seed  after  thee,  which 
shall  proceed  out  of  thy  bowels,  and  I  will  establish  his  kingdom. 
He  shall  build  an  house  for  my  name,  and  I  will  establish  the  throne 
of  his  kingdom  for  ever."  Therefore  Paul  appeals  finally  to  a  say- 
ing of  David  in  the  sixteenth  psalm :  "  For  thou  wilt  not  leave  my 
soul  in  hell  (the  grave) ;  neither  wilt  thou  suffer  thine  Holy  One  to 
see  corruption." 

2. — These  promises  fulfilled  in  Christ. — Paul  now  shows  how 
that  promise  was  not  fulfilled  in  David,  for,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
"  David,  after  he  had  served  his  own  generation  by  the  will  of  God, 
fell  on  sleep  and  was  laid  unto  his  fathers  and  saw  corruption."  It 
is  clear  from  this  that  fulfillment  was  to  be  looked  for  elsewhere. 
Now,  as  a  matter  cf  fact,  he  says  once  more  :  "  He  whom  God  raised 
again,  saw  no  corruption."     This  was  Jesus.     Peter,  in  his  great  ad- 


378  PAUL'S   FIRST    MISSIONARY    SERMON. 

dress,  appeals  to  these  two  psalms,  the  second  and  sixteenth,  to 
show  that,  as  they  had  no  fulfillment  in  David,  but  were  prophecies 
of  the  Christ  who  should  come,  the  "fruit  of  his  loins,"  Jesus  must 
be  that  Christ.  (Acts  iii,  29-35. )  The  point  of  view  of  these  two 
great  addresses  is  a  little  different,  but  the  point  of  sight  is  the  same. 
Paul  at  a  later  time  fully  expounds  this  glorious  mystery,  wrought 
out  in  historical  fact  when  he  declared  concerning  Jesus,  that  he  was 
"  made  of  the  seed  of  David  according  to  the  flesh  ;  and  demonstrated 
to  be  the  Son  of  God  with  power,  according  to  the  spirit  of  Holiness, 
by  the  resurrection  from  the  dead."  (Rom.  i,  3,  4.)  David  had  no 
endless  life,  so  he  died  and  saw  corruption,  but  Christ  came  in  the 
power  of  an  endless  life,  so  that,  when  he  was  put  to  death  and 
buried,  death  could  not  hold  his  soul  in  the  grave  or  the  under  world, 
nor  could  it  work  corruption  in  his  body.  The  conclusion  is  this : 
"  Christ,  who  was  begotten  of  the  Father  before  all  worlds,  was  de- 
clared before  men  and  angels  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  when  he  was 
raised  from  the  dead  in  the  power  of  an  endless  life."  The  Script- 
ures contain  promises  which  in  their  very  nature  required  such  an 
One  who  should  rise  from  the  dead  in  order  to  their  fulfillment.  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  such  an  one  appeared  in  the  person  of  Christ,  who 
was  put  to  death  in  the  flesh,  but  saw  no  corruption,  and  did  rise 
again  from  the  dead.  This  is  an  irresistible  argument  and  must 
carry  conviction  to  every  one  who  is  not  willfully  determined  to 
reject  both  the  prophetic  Scriptures  and  the  testimony  of  history. 

III.— THE    GREAT   PROCLAMATION. 

Having  demonstrated  Jesus  to  be  the  Christ  of  the  Old  Testament 
Scriptures,  Paul  now  proceeds  to  the  conclusion  of  his  address  by  a 
great  proclamation  of  the  grace  of  God  to  men  through  "this  man." 
"  Be  it  known  unto  you  therefore,  men  and  brethren,  that  through 
this  man  is  preached  (proclaimed)  unto  you  " — 

1. — The  forgiveness  of  sins. — Now  this  is  not  the  first  time  that 
forgiveness  of  sins  had  been  proclaimed  to  the  people,  for  the  Old 
Testament  is  full  of  the  promises  of  forgiveness ;  but  the  apostle 
shows  that  all  those  Old  Testament  proclamations  of  forgiveness  of 
sins  were  based  on  the  person  and  work  of  Messiah,  and  that  Mes- 
siah as  a  Saviour  had  now  come  to  them,  and  therefore  this  great 
blessing  was  fully  offered.  The  forgiveness  of  sins  is  obviously  the 
first  great  necessity  of  sinful  man.  That  forgivness  is  with  God,  and 
is  handed  down  and  proclaimed  to  us  through  Jesus  Christ.  The 
forgiveness  of  sins  is  the  declaration  of  the  permanent  attitude  of 


THE   GREAT   PROCLAMATION.  379 

God's  mind  to  a  sinful  world.  It  is  not  primarily  the  remission  of 
penalties,  but  only  that  God  puts  out  of  his  mind  and  heart  all  feel- 
ing of  injury  or  ill-will  toward  us  on  account  of  our  sins,  which  are 
a  grievous  wrong  done  to  him.  It  is  the  open  door  of  his  heart, 
whereby  he  seeks  to  reconcile  us  to  himself,  through  which  he  comes 
out  to  us  in  grace  and  bids  us  come  unto  him  in  reconciliation.  It 
is  not  "  justification  "  which  is  spoken  of  by  the  apostle  in  the  next 
verse.  It  is  a  great  confusion  of  thought  and  teaching  to  confound 
these  two,  great  blessings.  Forgiveness  is  universal,  and  applies  to 
all  men,  whether  they  accept  it  or  not.  How  could  God  so  love  the 
world  as  to  give  his  only  begotten  Son  to  die  for  ut>  if  he  held  our 
sins  against  us  in  his  heart  ?  Forgiveness  is  not  something  done  to 
man,  but  it  is  the  state  of  God's  mind  toward  us,  and  that  mind 
openly  proclaimed. 

2. — Justification.- — Here  we  have  a  different  matter  altogether. 
Sin  is  a  personal  wrong  done  to  God,  which  he  freely  forgives ;  but 
sin  is  a  crime  against  the  moral  government  of  God  which  he  cannot 
pass  by.  Sin  is  guilty,  and  must  be  punished.  God  has  by  his  wis- 
dom and  grace,  because  he  loves  us  and  forgives  us,  given  his  Son 
to  die  for  us,  and  thus  become  the  propitiation  of  our  sins.  Justifi- 
cation is  the  clearing  us  of  the  guilt  of  sin  and  setting  us  right  under 
law,  as  forgiveness  sets  us  right  with  God  personally.  Forgiveness 
is  universal,  but  justification  is  limited  to  them  who  accept  the  set- 
tlement which  God  has  made  for  sin  by  the  sacrifice  which  Jesus 
made  when  he  offered  himself  up  through  the  Eternal  Spirit  to  God. 
It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that  the  apostle  speaks  of  it  in  a  different 
way  from  that  which  he  does  concerning  forgiveness  :  "And  by  him 
all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all  things  from  which  ye  could  not 
be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses."  Personal  faith  in  and  a  cordial 
acceptance  of  Jesus  Christ  as  Saviour  and  Lord  are  essential  to  jus- 
tification. 

3. — A  solemn  warning. — The  apostle  closes  his  address  by  a 
solemn  warning :  "Beware  lest  that  come  upon  you  which  is  spoken 
by  the  prophets.  (Is.  xxix,  14;  Hab.  i,  5.)  There  were  signs  of 
opposition  and  resistance  to  his  speech  in  the  congregation,  and  he 
warns  them.  The  people  and  rulers  at  Jerusalem  had  rejected  Christ 
and  crucified  him ;  he  would  warn  them  not  to  walk  in  their  foot- 
steps. The  course  of  unbelief  is  first  to  despise  God's  mercy  and 
then  wonder  at  his  power,  and  finally  to  perish.  This  comes  upon 
men  who  will  not  believe,  though  God  has  wrought  so  plainly  that 
there  is  no  mistake,  and  his  doings  are  as  plainly  declared  to  them. 
It  is  an  awfully  solemn  thing  to  have  the  Gospel  preached  to  one, 


380  PAUL'S   FIRST   MISSIONARY   SERMON. 

and  for  that  one,  in  the  face  of  all  evidence  and  testimony,  to  make 
light  of  it  or  despise  it. 

4. — The  result  of  the  preaching. — The  Jews  left  the  synagogue, 
most  likely  in  anger,  but  the  Gentiles  tarried  behind  and  besought 
Paul  to  repeat  his  discourse  to  them  on  the  next  Sabbath.  Some 
hearts  were  pricked  and  some  anxious  souls  were  found  in  that  con- 
gregation. Moreover,  there  were  some  among  the  Jews  and  relig- 
ious proselytes,  who  followed  Paul  and  Barnabas,  presumably  to 
their  lodgings.  They  seem  to  have  believed  his  word,  for  we  read 
that  these  two  missionaries  talked  with  and  persuaded  them  to  con- 
tinue in  the  grace  of  God.  These  are  the  usual  results  of  all  earnest 
and  spiritual  preaching.  Some  reject  with  haughty  and  angry  con- 
tempt, some  are  awakened  and  are  anxious  to  hear  more,  while 
others  are  convinced  and  enter  into  God's  gracious  mercy. 


November  ST,  1893. 


XLVIII. 

THE  APOSTLES   TURNING   TO  THE   GENTILES.— Acts 
xi  ii,  44-52  ;  xiv,   1-7. 

(44)  And  the  next  sabbath  day  came  almost  the  whole  city  together  to  hear  the 
word  of  God.  (45)  But  when  the  Jews  saw  the  multitude,  they  were  filled  with  envy, 
and  spake  against  those  things  which  were  spoken  by  Paul,  contradicting  and  blas- 
pheming. (46)  Then  Paul  and  Barnabas  waxed  bold,  and  said,  It  was  necessary  that 
the  word  of  God  should  first  have  been  spoken  to  you :  but  seeing  ye  put  it  from  you, 
and  judge  yourselves  unworthy  of  everlasting  life,  lo,  we  turn  to  the  Gentiles.  (47) 
For  so  hath  the  Lord  commanded  us,  saying,  I  have  set  thee  to  be  a  light  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, that  thou  shouldest  be  for  salvation  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth.  (48)  And  when 
the  Gentiles  heard  this,  they  were  glad,  and  glorified  the  word  of  the  Lord :  and  as 
many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life  believed.  (49)  And  the  word  of  the  Lord  was 
published  throughout  all  the  region.  (50)  But  the  Jews  stirred  up  the  devout  and 
honourable  women,  and  the  chief  men  of  the  city,  and  raised  persecution  against 
Paul  and  Barnabas,  and  expelled  them  out  of  their  coasts.  (51)  But  they  shook  off 
the  dust  of  their  feet  against  them,  and  came  unto  Iconium.  (52)  And  the  disciples 
were  filled  with  joy,  and  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  (1)  And  it  came  to  pass  in  Iconium, 
that  they  went  both  together  into  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews,  and  so  spake,  that  a 
great  multitude  both  of  the  Jews  and  also  of  the  Greeks  believed.  (2)  But  the  unbe- 
lieving Jews  stirred  up  the  Gentiles,  and  made  their  minds  evil  affected  against  the 
brethren.  (3)  Long  time  therefore  abode  tbey  speaking  boldly  in  the  Lord,  which 
gave  testimony  unto  the  word  of  his  grace,  and  granted  signs  and  wonders  to  te 
done  by  their  hands.  (4)  But  the  multitude  of  the  city  was  divided:  and  part  held 
with  the  Jews,  and  part  with  the  apostles.  (5)  And  when  there  was  an  assault  made 
both  of  the  Gentiles,  and  also  of  the  Jews  with  their  rulers,  to  use  them  despitefully, 
and  to  stone  them,  (6)  They  were  ware  of  it,  and  fled  unto  Lystra  and  Derbe,  cities  of 
Lycaonia,  and  unto  the  region  that  lieth  round  about :  (7)  And  there  they  preached 
the  gospel.— Acts  xiii,  44-52;  xiv,  1-7. 

The  first  congregation  which  Paul  addressed  in  this  Pisidian  An- 
tioch  broke  up  in  comparative  quietness,  though  there  were  not 
lacking  signs  of  a  storm  brewing,  in  the  sullen  withdrawal  of  the 
greater  part  of  the  Jews,  while  certain  of  the  Gentiles  requested 
that  these  words  might  be  repeated  to  them  the  next  Sabbath,  and 
not  a  few  of  the  Jews  and  proselytes  followed  Paul  and  Barnabas, 
and  declared  their  acceptance  of  the  word  of  the  Gospel.  All  that 
week  the  discussions  which  arose  out  of  the  apostle's  address  went 
on.  A  new  current  of  life  went  through  the  thought  of  the  city. 
Perhaps  never  before  had  a  single  sermon  produced  so  marked  an 

381 


382       THE    APOSTLES   TURNING   TO   THE   GENTILES. 

effect  on  a  whole  community.  There  was  no  outward  sign  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  accompanying  the  word  as  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  but 
the  Spirit  was  mightily  present  in  energizing  the  word  preached,  for 
"the  next  Sabbath  day  came  almost  the  whole  city  together,  to  hear 
the  word  of  God."  John  the  Baptist  was  a  preacher  of  this  kind, 
who  could  draw  a  whole  city  to  hear  the  message  he  had  to  deliver. 
It  is  most  cheering  to  read  that  this  vast  multitude  came  together 
to  hear  not  an  eloquent  preacher,  or  some  new  and  strange  doctrine, 
as  they  of  Athens  did  when  Paul  preached  on  Mars  Hill,  but  to  ' '  hear 
the  word  of  God."  The  place  of  preaching  was  the  synagogue,  but 
it  must  have  been  altogether  inadequate  to  contain  the  people.  Never 
had  such  crowds  been  gathered  there  before.  We  shall  see  what 
was  the  result  of  this  second  address  of  Paul  upon  the  multitude. 

I.— THE   GOSPEL  A   SAVOR   OF   DEATH   AND   LIFE. 

The  word  of  God,  as  preached  by  Paul  on  that  first  Sabbath  in 
the  synagogue,  and  more  privately  throughout  the  week,  entered 
that  city  like  a  plowshare  does  the  soil,  dividing  and  throwing  a 
furrow  on  either  side.  From  the  first,  some  believed  and  others  re- 
jected the  word.  This  is,  and  must  always  be,  the  effect  of  the  Gos- 
pel when  preached  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit.  The  unbelieving 
Jews  made  no  demonstration  of  hostility  at  the  time,  perhaps  not 
thinking  that  the  address  of  the  apostle  would  have  much  or  any 
effect  on  the  people,  but  would  pass  off  and  over  them  as  a  summer 
breeze.  The  vast  multitude  which  gathered  to  hear  Paul  on  the 
next  Sabbath  had  their  eyes  opened,  however,  to  a  new  fact. 

1. — The  envy  of  the  Jews. — When  they  saw  this  vast  throng 
about  the  synagogue,  and  perhaps  heard  the  eager  and  anxious 
words  of  the  people  discussing  the  new  doctrine,  and  debating  over 
again  the  facts  upon  which  Paul  had  based  his  sermon,  their  envy — 
that  is,  their  jealousy — broke  out.  "When  they  saw  the  multitude, 
they  were  filled  with  envy."  This  is  an  old  development  of  the 
human  heart  against  Christ  and  his  message.  It  was  "for  envy" 
that  they  delivered  Jesus  up  to  Pilate.  They  used  to  say  that,  if 
the  popularity  of  Jesus  were  not  somehow  checked,  he  would  draw 
away  all  the  people  from  them.  So  felt  these  Jews ;  no  doubt  the 
reference  is  to  the  leaders.  They  would  not  accept  the  conclusions 
to  which  Paul's  address  clearly  pointed,  nor  the  testimony  which  he 
clearly  gave  to  the  fact  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah.  They  were 
angry  because  the  message  interested  the  Gentiles,  and  won  not  a 
few  of  their  brethren  and  the  religious  proselytes  to  Jesus  as  the 


THE   GOSPEL  A   SAVOR   OF   DEATH   AND   LIFE.      383 

Messiah.  This  anger  at  what  they  might  have  sincerely  believed  to 
be  a  false  doctrine  might  not  have  gone  further  than  their  own 
breasts,  or  than  to  have  led  one  of  their  rulers  to  "  preach  a  sermon 
against  "  Paul  and  his  doctrine  ;  but  when  they  saw  what  a  vast  hold 
these  new  preachers  had  already  gotten  on  the  people — so  much  so 
that  the  whole  city  was  stirred  and  were  coming  out  to  hear — then 
their  anger  became  envious  and  jealous.  They  saw  how  hopeless 
they  were  in  the  face  of  that  multitude.  They  at  once  proceeded  to 
interrupt  Paul  and  Barnabas  and  contradict  them,  and  even  went  so 
far  as  to  blaspheme.  They  were  angry  that  Gentiles  should  be 
treated  with  the  same  interest  as  they  were,  and  that  a  Jew  should 
so  entirely  " unchurch"  himself  as  to  address  a  Gentile  as  his  equal 
in  the  matter  of  the  good  news  of  God.  They  were  angry  because 
they  saw  in  this  new  doctrine  the  destruction  of  their  exclusive  and 
distinguished  claim  to  the  peculiar  favor  of  God,  and  that  Gentiles 
were  henceforth  to  be  admitted  to  God's  kingdom,  not  as  proselytes, 
but  as  equals. 

2. — The  boldness  of  the  apostles. — "Then  Paul  and  Barnabas 
waxed  bold."  This  seems  to  imply  that  a  sudden  exaltation  of  feel- 
ing and  boldness  of  spirit  came  upon  these  men.  In  the  fourth  of 
Acts  we  see  the  disciples  gathered  together  after  the  whipping  of 
John  and  Peter,  and  praying  that  with  "  all  boldness  they  might 
preach  the  word."  Now,  without  retiring  to  pray,  but  in  spirit  wait- 
ing on  God  while  they  were  being  thus  contradicted  and  reviled,  and 
while  the  blaspheming  words  of  the  rulers  against  Christ  were  sound- 
ing in  their  ears,  a  spirit  of  fearlessness  and  boldness  fell  upon 
them.  They  were  neither  afraid,  ashamed,  nor  daunted  by  this  op- 
position. Much  less  did  they  feel  that  they  must,  out  of  courtesy, 
withdraw  from  the  debate,  for  fear  of  making  a  disturbance,  or 
"creating  bad  feeling,"  as  it  is  sometimes  said  evangelists  do  when 
they  come  into  a  town  or  city  and  preach  the  Gospel  and  draw  the 
city  away  from  the  churches  to  hear  the  word.  This  sometimes  ex- 
cites envy  and  jealousy  and  brings  forth  hard  words ;  so  that  some 
timid  souls  urge  that  there  had  better  be  no  revival  of  religion  in  a 
town  than  that  bad  feelings  should  be  created.  But  Paul  and  Silas 
waxed  bold,  not  for  themselves,  but  for  Christ,  and  because  of  their 
desire  to  see  the  people  won  to  Jesus  and  saved. 

3. — The  self-condemnation  of  the  Jews. — The  apostles  do  not 
debate  the  question  with  the  rulers  ;  they  do  not  refute  their  personal 
slanders  and  misrepresentations ;  they  do  not  answer  their  blas- 
phemies, but  discerning  that  their  envy,  their  contradictions,  and 
their  blasphemies  are  the  sure  signs  of  a  purposed  and  determined 


381       THE   APOSTLES   TURNING   TO   THE   GENTILES. 

unbelief,  they  say  a  single  word  in  justification  of  their  course  in 
coming  to  them  first  with  the  message  of  life,  and  then  abandon 
them  to  their  own  choice.  "  It  was  necessary  that  the  word  of  God 
should  first  have  been  spoken  to  you."  (Matt,  x,  6;  Luke  xxiv,  47; 
Rom.  i,  16. )  Necessary  because  this  was  the  natural  order,  and  be- 
cause the  terms  of  our  Lord's  commission  bound  them  to  give  the  first 
offer  of  life  to  the  Jews,  to  whom  pertained  the  promises,  and  to  whom 
the  covenants  had  first  come.  But,  continued  the  apostles,  "  Seeing 
ye  put  it  from  you  and  judge  yourselves  unworthy  of  eternal  life,  lo, 
we  turn  to  the  Gentiles."  They  will  not  contend,  nor,  on  the  other 
hand,  will  they  continue  to  "cast  their  pearls  before  swine."  This 
also  was  according  to  the  command  of  Christ.  In  this  declaration 
of  the  apostles  there  is  a  solemn  and  awful  truth.  God  causes  his 
Gospel  to  be  preached  to  men,  freely  offering  forgiveness  and  justifi- 
cation through  Jesus  Christ,  and  then  he  leaves  men  to  make  their 
own  judgment.  In  the  judgment  they  pass  upon  Jesus  Christ  they 
pass  judgment  upon  themselves.  They  who  accept  Jesus  Christ  ad- 
judge themselves  to  life  through  him ;  while  those  who  reject  him 
adjudge  themselves  unto  death.  The  phrase  "  unworthy  of  everlast- 
ing life,"  is  not  a  judgment  of  humility,  to  the  effect  that  they  were 
not  worthy  of  so  great  grace  as  is  offered  in  Christ,  and  therefore  de- 
cline it  out  of  this  feeling  of  humility.  It  was  rather  a  statement  of 
their  haughty  rejection  of  Christ.  They  adjudged  themselves  as  not 
needing  any  favor  from  Christ,  and  so  rejected  him.  This  self- 
judgment  made  it  evident  that  their  attitude  made  it  impossible  for 
Christ  to  give  them  life.  They  in  effect  had  said :  "  We  will  not 
have  this  man  Christ  Jesus  to  rule  over  us."  Then  they  must  take 
their  own  judgment.  Let  not  those  hearers  or  readers  of  the  word 
of  God  who  pass  judgment  of  rejection  upon  it  think  that  they  have 
thereby  condemned  the  word  of  Jesus ;  they  have  but  condemned 
themselves,  and  consigned  themselves  to  that  death  on  account  of 
sin  which  Jesus  Christ  came  to  save  them  from. 

II.— TURNING  TO   THE   GENTILES. 

"Lo,  we  turn  to  the  Gentiles."  From  the  days  of  Moses,  God 
had  told  the  Jewish  people  that  he  had  purposes  of  grace  toward 
and  for  the  Gentile  world.  "  They  have  moved  me  to  jealousy  with 
that  which  is  not  God ;  they  have  provoked  me  to  anger  with  their 
vanities ;  and  I  will  move  them  to  jealousy  with  those  which  are  not 
a  people  ;  I  will  provoke  them  to  anger  with  a  foolish  people."  (Deut. 
xxxii,  21.)     Here  again  we  see  how  the  Jews  were  ignorant  of  their 


TUBNING   TO   THE   GENTILES.  385 

Scriptures,  and  were  yet  fulfilling  them  by  their  attitude  toward 
Jesus  Christ,  whom,  though  they  were  expecting  and  looking  for, 
they  rejected  when  he  came. 

1. — The  commandment  of  God. — Lest  any  should  say  that  the 
apostles  had  turned  to  the  Gentiles  in  pique  or  anger,  or  as  a  re- 
venge, they  quote  the  commandment  of  God  to  show  that  they  are 
in  the  way  of  literal  obedience.  They  do  not  quote  the  commission 
of  Jesus,  whom  the  Jews  had  rejected,  but  the  word  of  God  out  of 
the  Scriptures  which  the  Jews  accepted.  "I  have  set  thee  to  be  a 
light  to  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  shouldest  be  for  salvation  to  the  ends 
of  the  earth."  (Is.  xlix,  6.)  The  rejecting  Jews  could  not  deny  this 
command,  and  that  it  referred  to  Messiah  when  he  should  come,  and 
so  the  apostles,  by  quoting  it,  show  that  Messiah  was  for  the  ends  of 
the  earth,  and  that  in  turning  to  the  Gentiles  they  were  literally 
obeying  the  commandment  of  God. 

2. — The  gladness  of  the  Gentiles. — "  When  they  heard  this — that 
is,  the  word  of  God  concerning  them  and  his  purpose  of  grace  and 
life  in  Christ,  and  that  the  apostles  were  not  only  obeying  God's 
command  in  preaching  the  glad  tidings  to  them — they  were  glad, 
and  glorified  the  word  of  the  Lord."  How  did  they  glorify  the  word 
of  the  Lord?  Why,  by  believing  it  to  be  true,  receiving  it  as  the 
word  of  God,  and  accepting  the  everlasting  life  which  was  preached 
to  them  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  The  best  and  only  way  to  glorify 
God's  word  is  to  believe  it  and  do  it. 

3. — The  believing  Gentiles. — "And  as  many  as  were  ordained 
unto  eternal  life  believed."  This  passage  has  been  a  stumbling- 
block  to  many.  What  does  it  mean  ?  Does  it  mean  that  God  has 
selected  a  certain  number  of  persons,  whom  he  has  designated  from 
all  eternity  to  salvation,  and  that  to  them  only  he  has  and  does  come 
with  efficient  grace  to  enable  them  to  believe,  and  these  only  believe 
and  are  saved  ?  Certainly  not.  Was  God  mocking  the  Jews  who  be- 
lieved not,  with  an  offer  of  the  Gospel  which  he  never  meant  them 
to  believe,  and  would  not  enable  them  to  believe?  Does  it  mean 
that  the  Gospel  which  is  to  be  preached  to  all  men  is  a  solemn  mock- 
ery except  to  a  certain  number  whom  God  has,  by  an  act  of  sov- 
ereignty, selected  and  determined  to  salvation?  Certainly  not. 
Does  it  mean  that  God  is  not  sincere  when  he  causes  it  to  be  re- 
corded "that  God  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved"?  does  it  mean  that 
John  iii,  16,  is  not  a  sincere  declaration  of  God's  love  and  will  ?  Per- 
ish this  lie  out  of  the  minds  of  God's  people,  and  deliver  all  such  as 
have  been  tormented  with  this  blasphemy.  It  means  just  the  same 
exactly  as  that  passage  means  which  we  find  in  Acts  ii,  47:  "And 


38G       THE   APOSTLES   TURNING   TO   THE   GENTILES. 

the  Lord  added  to  the  Church  daily  such  as  should  be  saved."  That 
is,  "those  who  put  themselves  in  the  way  of  salvation,"  by  hearing 
and  believing  the  truth  concerning  Jesus.  God  has  chosen  men  to 
salvation  in  Christ  Jesus,  through  sanctification  of  the  spirit  and  be- 
lief of  the  truth,  and  has  ordained  that  every  man  that  sets  himself 
in  order  by  putting  himself  in  the  way  of  the  truth  shall  believe  and 
be  saved.  God  in  his  providence  has  ordained  that  the  winds  shall 
blow  the  ships  of  men  across  the  sea,  and  those  who  set  their  sails 
to  catch  the  breeze  will  make  the  voyage,  but  those  who  refuse  to 
set  their  sails  will  go  adrift.  God  has  ordained  that  if  men  plant 
they  shall  reap ;  but  if  men  will  not  plant  they  shall  not  reap.  God 
had  ordained  that  "whosover  believeth  in  Jesus  shall  not  perish,  but 
have  eternal  life."  This  is  the  ordination  of  God  in  respect  to  sin- 
ners— this,  and  nothing  but  this.  So  as  many  as  set  themselves  in 
the  way  of  eternal  life  believed  and  were  saved  out  of  that  heathen 
population. 

III.— PERSECUTION. 

The  good  work  seems  to  have  gone  on  for  some  time,  for  "  the 
word  of  the  Lord  was  published  throughout  all  the  region."  This 
still  further  angered  the  Jews,  who  were  now  bent  on  taking  active 
and  vigorous  measures  to  stop  the  spread  of  the  Gospel. 

1. — The  agents  in  the  persecution. — "The  Jews  stirred  up  de- 
vout and  honorable  women  and  the  chief  men  of  the  city,  and  raised 
persecution  against  Paul  and  Barnabas  and  expelled  them  out  of 
their  coasts."  These  "devout  and  honorable  women"  were  most 
probably  zealous  proselytes  from  among  the  upper  classes  of  society 
in  Antioch,  the  wives  of  the  chief  men,  who  the  Jews  with  great 
cunning  set  to  work  on  their  husbands,  and  succeeded  in  persuading 
them  that  these  apostles  were  disturbers  of  the  peace,  and  ought  to 
be  expelled.  Women  who  are  " devout "  and  "honorable,"  of  good 
position,  can  be  of  great  hurt  or  help  to  the  Gospel,  as  they  are  dis- 
posed. These  were  disposed  against  Christ  and  his  servants,  and  so 
they  were  used  by  the  crafty  priests  to  oppose  the  truth.  For  a  good 
ally  give  me  a  devout  woman ;  for  an  enemy  whom  I  fear  more  than 
all  men,  save  me  from  such  an  one. 

2. — Shaking  the  dust  off  their  feet. — To  what  extent  violence 
was  used  does  not  appear.  Probably  the  apostles  seeing  the  storm 
coming,  and  knowing  that  it  would  be  useless  to  withstand  the  angry 
mob  which  was  being  gathered,  heeded  another  command  of  Christ 
and  "shook  off  the  dust  of  their  feet  against  them."  (Matt,  vi,  11.) 
This  was  not  cowardice,    but  wisdom.     They  had  left  their  testi- 


THE   APOSTLES   IN   ICONIUM  AND   LYSTRA.  387 

mony,  they  had  done  their  work,  they  had  planted  the  Gospel ;  now 
they  would  at  once  save  themselves  and  break  up  new  ground,  and 
so  they  proceeded  to  Iconium. 

3. — The  Antiochian  disciples. — The  Jews,  with  the  aid  of  the 
"devout  and  honorable  women  and  the  chief  men  of  the  city,  could 
and  did  succeed  in  expelling  the  apostles,  but  they  failed  to  expel 
the  Gospel.  For  the  glad  tidings  had  sunk  into  the  hearts  of  a  great 
many,  both  of  Jews,  proselytes,  and  Gentiles  in  the  city,  and  while 
the  Jews  were  filled  with  envy,  those  who  had  received  the  word  of 
God  were  filled  with  joy,  and  with  the  Holy  Ghost."  Thus  does  God 
sow  his  seed  of  life,  and  thus  does  it  find  a  field  for  itself,  and  grows 
in  spite  of  the  animosity  and  hatred  of  men.  Here  the  Gospel  be- 
came, as  everywhere,  a  savor  of  death  to  those  who  believed  not, 
and  of  life  to  those  who  believed. 

IV.— THE   APOSTLES   IN   ICONIUM,   LYSTRA,  AND 
DERBE. 

Having  escaped  from  Antioch,  these  two  brave  and  bold  mission- 
aries had  no  intention  of  returning  to  Jerusalem  or  to  Antioch,  from 
whence  they  came  out,  and  giving  up  the  mission  on  account  of  its 
difficulties  and  dangers ;  but  proceeding  to  the  next  city  of  impor- 
tance where  there  was  a  large  colony  of  Jews,  they  resumed  their 
work. 

1. — In  the  synagogue  at  Iconium. — ''They  went  both  together." 
This  is  a  good  plan.  Two  can  often  go  better  than  one,  especially 
when  the  work  is  dangerous.  Paul  was  by  nature  bolder  than  Bar- 
nabas, but  Barnabas  had  a  wonderful  gift  of  exhortation,  and  so  with 
Barnabas  to  exhort  Paul,  and  Paul  to  lead  Barnabas  in  the  way  of 
bold  action,  they  made  a  gallant  company,  though  it  was  only  a  com- 
pany of  two.  They  went  into  the  synagogue  because  that  is  where 
they  would  get  the  ear  of  the  people.  They  spake  the  word  of  God 
in  such  a  way  that  a  great  multitude,  both  of  Jews  and  Greeks,  be- 
lieved. They  neither  departed  from  their  method  nor  their  message, 
and  God  honored  their  ministry  and  gave  them  to  see  the  work  of 
their  hand  prosper,  as  he  will  give  us  to  see  it  if  we  are  alike  straight- 
forward and  faithful. 

2. — More  persecution. — By  this  time  these  men  were  getting  used 
to  the  effects  of  the  Gospel.  Verily,  they  were  finding  out  that 
Christ  came  to  send  a  sword,  to  divide  by  his  word  men  and  women 
from  each  other,  to  disturb  the  quiet  of  cities,  to  separate  brethren 
from  brethren.     For  a  while  the  opposition  was  not  violent,  but  con- 


388      THE   APOSTLES   TURNING   TO   THE   GENTILES. 

fined  itself  to  words,  frowns,  and  black  looks.  In  the  meantime 
they  went  on  with  their  good  work,  "  speaking  boldly  in  the  Lord," 
which  the  Lord  honored  by  "  giving  testimony  to  the  word  of  his 
grace  "  in  the  conversion  of  many,  and  by  granting  signs  and  won- 
ders to  be  done  by  the  hands  of  the  apostles.  The  conflict  went  on 
until  there  was  a  clean  division  in  the  city,  and  the  whole  multitude 
took  sides.  "Part  held  with  the  Jews  and  part  with  the  apostles." 
This  was  a  sign  of  power.  It  is  a  poor  augury  of  the  success  of  the 
Gospel  when  it  is  preached  and  it  makes  no  stir  in  a  city,  and  does 
not  develop  opposition  as  well  as  win  converts.  By  and  by  the  storm 
broke,  and  there  was  an  assault  made  by  the  combined  party  of  un- 
believing Gentiles  and  Jews.  Herod  and  Pilate  are  made  friends 
again.  The  Jews  who  hated  the  Gentiles  fraternized  with  them 
now  in  a  scheme  of  persecution  against  the  servants  of  Christ,  whom 
they  hated  worse  than  all.  Becoming  aware  of  the  violence  intended, 
and  again  heeding  their  Lord's  command  to  "flee  to  another"  city, 
they  fled  to  Lystra  and  Derbe,  and  to  the  regions  lying  around  them. 
These  cities  were  far  enough  away,  in  an  obscure  and  remote  part  of 
Lycaonia,  and  north  of  Mt.  Taurus.  Here  they  might  hope  to  be  free 
from  the  persecution  of  the  Jews  in  the  more  influential  cities  from 
which  they  had  fled. 

3. — And  there  they  preached  the  Gospel. — They  had  just  es- 
caped a  terrible  persecution.  They  were  mere  fugitives  and  wander- 
ers, going  farther  and  farther  away  from  Syrian  Antioch  and  Jeru- 
salem, but  they  had  no  idea  of  giving  up  their  work.  They  go  at  it 
again  just  as  deliberately  as  if  nothing  but  sunshine  and  favor  had 
fallen  upon  them.  It  is  this  spirit  which  has  sent  the  Gospel  over 
all  the  earth,  in  spite  of  the  rage  and  opposition  of  men.  Preaching 
and  teaching  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  and  that  through  his  death  and 
resurrection  forgiveness  of  sins  and  justification  is  to  be  had,  the 
world  has  heard  and  believed — not  all  the  world,  but  some  in  every 
place,  who  have  retained  the  Gospel  in  their  hearts  and  become 
the  centers  of  further  propagation  and  increase  of  the  glory  of  the 
word  of  God  and  of  Christ. 


December  4, 


XLIX. 
WORK    AMONG    THE    GENTILES.— Acts  xiv,  8-22. 

(8)  And  there  sat  a  certain  man  at  Lystra,  impotent  in  his  feet,  being  a  cripple 
from  his  mother's  womb,  who  never  had  walked:  (9)  The  same  heard  Paul  speak: 
who  steadfastly  beholding  him,  and  perceiving  that  he  had  faith  to  be  healed,  (If) 
Said  with  a  loud  voice,  Stand  upright  on  thy  feet.  And  he  leaped  and  walked.  (11) 
And  when  the  people  saw  what  Paul  had  done,  they  lifted  up  their  voices,  saying  in 
the  speech  of  Lycaonia,  The  gods  are  come  down  to  us  in  the  likeness  of  men.  (12) 
And  they  called  Barnabas.  Jupiter;  and  Paid,  Mercurius,  because  he  was  the  chief 
speaker.  (13)  Then  the  priest  of  Jupiter,  which  was  before  their  city,  brought  oxen 
and  garlands  unto  the  gates,  and  would  have  done  sacrifice  with  the  people.  (14) 
Which  when  the  apostles,  Barnabas  and  Paul,  heard  of,  they  rent  their  clothes,  and 
ran  in  among  the  people,  crying  out,  (15)  And  saying,  Sirs,  why  do  ye  these  things? 
We  also  are  men  of  like  passions  with  you,  and  preach  unto  you  that  ye  should  turn 
from  these  vanities  unto  the  living  God.  which  made  heaven,  and  earth,  and  the  sea, 
and  all  things  that  are  therein  :  (16)  Who  in  times  past  suffered  all  nations  to  walk  in 
their  own  ways.  (170  Nevertheless  he  left  not  himself  without  witness,  in  that  he 
did  good,  and  gave  us  rain  from  heaven,  and  fruitful  seasons,  filling  our  hearts  with 
food  and  gladness.  (13)  And  with  these  sayings  scarce  restrained  they  the  people, 
that  they  had  not  done  sacrifice  unto  them.  (19)  And  there  came  thither  certain 
Jews  from  Antioch  and  Iconium,  who  persuaded  the  people,  and,  having  stoned 
Paul,  drew  him  out  of  the  city,  supposing  he  had  been  dead.  (^0)  Howbeit,  as  the 
disciples  stood  round  about  him,  he  rose  up,  and  came  into  the  city:  and  the  next 
day  he  departed  with  Barnabas  to  Derbe.  (21)  And  when  they  had  preached  the 
gospel  to  that  city,  and  had  taught  many,  they  turned  again  to  Lystra.  and  to 
Iconium,  and  Antioch.  (22)  Confirming  the  souls  of  the  disciples,  and  exhorting 
them  to  continue  in  the  faith,  and  that  we  must  through  much  tribulation  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  God.— Acts  xiv,  8-22. 

Paul  and  Barnabas  had  now  come  to  the  end  of  their  first  mis- 
sionary journey.  If  we  consult  the  map,  we  may  see  that  the  dis- 
tance traveled  was  not  very  great,  a  few  hundred  miles  at  most,  and 
the  time  consumed  in  the  whole  enterprise  was  perhaps  within,  or  at 
least  but  little  more  than,  a  year.  As  compared  with  some  of  our 
modern  missionary  journeys,  it  was  but  a  little  one  ;  yet  how  might- 
ily these  two  men  of  God  broke  up  the  heathen  ground  and  prepared 
the  way  for  other  such  missions,  not  only  to  be  undertaken  by  them- 
selves and  their  contemporaries,  but  their  successors  in  all  ages 
since  !  This  missionary  journey  is  full  of  interest  as  a  study  of  be- 
ginnings, and  as  presenting  in  its  details  those  features  which  have 
been  found  in  all  the  succeeding   enterprises  of  this  kind.     The 

389 


390  WORK   AMONG   THE   GENTILES. 

preaching  of  the  word  as  the  true  and  only  instrument  for  the  con- 
version of  the  heathen ;  the  readiness  of  some  to  hear  and  the  for- 
wardness of  others  to  oppose ;  the  encouragements  and  discourage- 
ments which  met  the  missionaries ;  the  moderation  and,  at  the  same 
time,  the  intensifying  of  enthusiasm  by  persecution,  and  not  its  ex- 
tinction ;  the  growth  of  purpose  with  the  increase  of  experience,  and 
the  presence  and  power  of  grace  to  sustain  his  servants  under  the 
most  adverse  circumstances.  Writing,  as  the  author  is,  in  a  heathen 
land,  surrounded  by  pagans  on  every  hand,  these  experiences  of 
Paul  and  Barnabas  seem  very  real,  for  they  are  being  repeated  every 
day  in  all  their  essential  points  before  our  very  eyes. 

I.— THE   MIRACLE   AT   LYSTRA. 

The  record  of  this  miracle  is  undoubtedly  introduced  here  in  order 
to  lead  up  to  the  extraordinary  events  which  followed ;  and  yet  it  is 
full  of  interest  in  itself,  and  well  worth  study.  In  some  of  its  de- 
tails, it  is  stiikingly  like  the  miracle  wrought  by  Peter  and  John  on 
the  crippled  beggar  whom  they  met  at  the  gate  of  the  temple  ;  and 
yet  there  is  not  the  least  warrant  for  supposing  that  it  was  either  a 
copy  of  it  in  method,  or  that  this  record  is  a  plagiarism  of  that  great 
work  of  Peter,  introduced  here,  and  ascribed  to  Paul,  as  some  of  the 
critics  would  have  us  believe.  The  conversion  of  every  sinner  has 
in  it  the  same  general  points  of  similarity,  such  as  conviction,  re- 
pentance, and  faith  in  Christ  as  Saviour  and  Lord ;  and  yet  each 
conversion  is  marked  by  peculiarities  all  its  own.  There  is  not  the 
least  hint  as  to  who  this  poor  man  was.  Undoubtedly  a  heathen ; 
but  one  of  those  characters  whom  we  meet  with  i»  ©very  commu- 
nity, who  are  the  first  to  come  to  any  gathering  such  as  surrounded 
the  apostles,  and  would  be  sure  to  be  one  of  the  most  eager  hearers. 
What  would  we  do  for  eager  hearers  if  it  were  not  for  the  spiritually 
lame,  halt,  blind,  and  miserable,  who  throng  the  congregations  of 
Christianity?  It  is  among  these  that  the  grace  of  God,  as  a  rule, 
finds  its  first  welcome.  It  is  an  ill  day  for  the  Church  when  it  be- 
comes too  respectable  and  select  to  allow  the  free  access  of  such  poor 
cripples  in  its  congregations,  and  does  not  give  them  a  hearty  wel- 
come, and  make  a  place  for  them  in  the  very  front  seats,  where  they 
are  always  so  anxious  to  come.  It  is  a  sure  sign  of  apostasy  and 
death  in  the  Church  when  we  say  to  such,  "  Sit  thou  there  under  my 
footstool."  The  inhospitality  shown  to  the  poor  and  wretched  sin- 
ners who  would  gladly  come  to  our  churches  if  they  were  only  made 
welcome,  and  to  little  children,  has  undoubtedly  cut  off  from  the 


THE    MIRACLE   AT    LYSTRA.  391 

Church  tho  opportunities  which  the  Spirit  of  God  would  otherwise 
avail  of  to  begin  and  continue  to  do  mighty  works. 

1. — The  cripple. — We  are  told  that  he  was  "impotent  in  his  feet, 
being  a  cripple  from  his  mother's  womb,  who  had  never  walked." 
What  a  picture  this  is  of  the  spiritual  condition  of  all  men  until  the 
grace  and  healing  power  of  God  comes  to  man !  One  of  the  first 
acts  of  David,  after  he  came  into  his  kingdom,  was  to  call  for  Mephi- 
bosheth,  the  crippled  son  of  Jonathan,  and  bring  him  into  his  own 
house  and  cause  him  to  sit  at  his  table ;  and  "  he  was  lame  on  both 
his  feet."  (II.  Sam.  xi,  13.)  So  the  first  act  of  God's  grace,  at  the 
hands  of  the  apostles,  was  to  heal  such  cripples.  Our  Lord's  minis- 
try was  distinguished  by  his  tender  sympathy  with  all  such.  Why 
do  we  not  see  into  the  depth  of  these  lessons  and  learn  that  the  more 
terrible  the  work  of  fin,  the  more  are  sinners,  even  the  very  worst 
and  most  repulsive  of  them,  recommended  to  our  sympathy;  and 
why  do  we  not  see  that  beneath  bodies  that  are  whole,  and  circum- 
stances that  are  fair  to  the  outward  eye,  there  are  crippled  souls, 
who  are  impotent  from  their  very  birth,  and  utterly  helpless  to  stand 
up  before  God  and  walk  in  his  ways,  (i)  This  cripple  had  put  him- 
self in  the  way  of  salvation,  since  he  had  come  to  hear  the  word  of 
God ;  for  we  read  in  the  seventh  verse  that  there  in  Lystra  "  they 
preached  the  word."  The  reason  so  many  souls  are  lost  is  not  be- 
cause they  are  born  sinners,  and  are  spiritually  cripples,  but  because, 
being  so,  they  will  not  put  themselves  in  the  way  of  salvation  by 
hearing  what  God  has  done  for  them  in  Christ,  and  what  he  is  ready 
to  do  for  them  in  their  own  bodies  and  souls,  (ii)  He  had  faith  to 
be  healed.  No  doubt,  in  the  course  of  Paul's  preaching,  he  had  re- 
hearsed how  the  Lord  Jesus  had  gone  about  doing  good,  healing  all 
that  had  need  of  healing,  the  lepers,  the  blind,  the  lame,  and  the 
halt.  Perhaps  he  had  told  them  how  the  apostolic  ministry  had  been 
inaugurated  by  Peter,  iu  the  healing  of  the  lame  man  at  the  gate  of 
the  temple.  The  story  of  the  grace  of  God  and  his  power  to  heal 
had  awakened  in  the  heart  of  this  poor  man  a  desire  and  a  belief 
that  he  also  might  be  healed ;  and  with  these  thoughts  burning  in  his 
soul,  and  his  eyes  fixed  with  eager  longing  on  the  apostle's  face, 
Paul's  attention  was  attracted  toward  him,  and  he  "perceived  that 
he  had  faith  to  be  healed."  How  Paul  could  thus  see  into  his  heart, 
it  does  not  matter.  The  human  countenance  is  a  great  index  to  the 
soul,  and  a  minister  of  experience  and  spiritual  perception  soon 
learns  to  read  the  hearts  of  his  hearers  very  well.  Many  a 
preacher  since  Paul  has  had  his  attention  drawn  to  some  one  face  in 
**\i  audience,  and  lias  directed  his  whole  sermon  to  the  soul  behind 


392  WORK   AMONG}    THE   GENTILES. 

the  eager,  hungry,  and  longing  eyes  that  lias  won  his  attention,  be- 
cause he  has  seen  in  such  an  one  the  dawning  of  that  faith  that 
saves.  Faith  is  a  something  in  the  soul  that  is  to  be  seen,  and  so  is 
grace.  (Mark  iii,  5;  Acts  xi,  23.)  The  salvation  of  the  soul  has 
oftentimes  begun  in  the  salvation  of  the  body.  The  writer  has  in 
mind  the  case  of  a  man  who  was  an  awful  drunkard,  who,  while  he 
would  not  call  on  Jesus  Christ  to  save  his  soul  from  sin,  did  cry  out 
to  God  to  save  him  from  drunkenness.  God  heard  his  prayer,  and 
the  man  in  a  few  days  came  weeping  and  crying  at  the  feet  of  Christ 
for  forgiveness  and  regeneration.  Faith  sometimes  begins  its  work 
in  the  body  and  sinks  down  into  the  soul,  though  the  more  normal 
way  is  for  it  to  begin  in  the  soul  and  work  out  through  the  body. 
God  is  the  Saviour  of  spirit,  soul,  and  body. 

2. — The  cripple  healed. — So  soon  as  Paul  perceived  the  faith 
that  wras  in  him,  while  "  steadfastly  beholding  him,"  with  a  sea  of 
love  in  his  eyes,  he  cried  out  in  "a  loud  voice,"  that  all  the  people 
might  hear,  and  commanded  the  cripple,  "  Stand  upright  on  thy 
feet."  Paul  did  not  use  the  formula,  "in  the  name  of  Jesus,"  or 
"  Jesus  Christ  hath  made  thee  wdiole,"  but  wre  know  wTell  enough 
that  Paul  spoke  and  commanded  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  Immediately 
the  faith  that  had  secretly  taken  hold  of  Jesus  for  healing,  now  that 
it  had  a  clear  command  to  act  upon,  wrought  in  the  man,  and  he  in- 
stantly leaped  to  his  feet  and  began  to  walk.  In  this  we  see  what 
faith  is,  and  how  it  should  work  in  men.  It  is  not  merely  believing 
abstract  propositions,  but  is  acting  upon  the  word  of  God.  This 
man  not  only  obeyed,  but  he  obeyed  wdth  alacrity  and  enthusiasm. 
Many  people  who  hear  the  wrord  and  believe,  instead  of  acting  at 
once,  "go  home  to  think  it  all  over,"  while  others,  if  they  act  at  all, 
act  so  languidly  that  they  fail  to  catch  hold  of  the  joy  which  comes 
with  an  enthusiastic  obedience.  "Wilt  thou  be  made  whole?" 
Then  take  up  thy  bed  and  walk.  "  Wilt  thou  be  forgiven ? "  Then 
believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  "go  thy  way  and  sin  no  more." 
This  is  faith :  to  take  God  at  his  word  and  instantly  act  upon  it, 
"nothing  doubting." 

II.— CHRISTIANITY  IN  CONFLICT  WITH  HEATHENISM. 

The  effect  of  this  miracle  upon  the  multitude  who  saw  it  was 
most  remarkable.  Instead  of  praising  God  and  believing  on  Jesus 
Christ,  whom  Paul  preached,  and  in  whose  name  he  had  wrought 
this  wonderful  cure  on  the  lame  man,  they  obeyed  their  heathen  in- 
stincts and  superstitions,  and  began  to  cry  out :  "  The  gods  are  come 


CHRISTIANITY  IN  CONFLICT   WITH    HEATHENISM.     393 

down  to  us  in  the  likeness  of  men,"  and  took  steps  at  once  to  pay 
divine  honors  to  Paul  and  Barnabas,  calling  Barnabas  Jupiter,  and 
Paul  Mercurras.  The  priests  of  Jupiter,  which  was  the  god  chiefly 
worshiped  there,  took  up  the  cry  and  proceeded  at  once  to  prepare 
to  offer  sacrifice  to  these  missionaries. 

1. — The  blindness  of  heathenism. — In  the  light  of  this  incident, 
and  the  knowledge  that  we  have  of  heathenism  to-day,  which  is  not 
different  in  its  beliefs  and  practices  from  what  it  was  then,  we  may 
know  something  of  the  spirit  that  is  in  it.  (i)  The  blindness  of 
heathenism  is  not  total,  but,  as  it  were,  the  blindness  caused  by  a 
partial  cataract.  It  believes  in  God.  It  has  an  insatiable  longing 
for  the  manifestation  of  God  in  some  form  by  which  they  may  ap- 
proach unto  him.  There  is  in  heathenism  the  remnants  of  some 
Divine  teaching  respecting  incarnation.  In  all  heathenism  there  is 
the  belief  in  incarnation,  and  all  idols  are  the  result  of  that  belief, 
based  either  on  some  tradition  of  the  "gods  come  down  in  the  like- 
ness of  men,"  or  in  a  belief  that,  in  the  fullness  of  time,  God  will  so 
incarnate  himself,  (ii)  But  this  truth  concerning  incarnation  which 
they  so  dimly  perceived  had  been  grossly  abused,  and  has  led  them 
into  the  worship  of  sinful  men,  because  of  some  remarkable  deed, 
reported  to  have  been  done  by  them,  or  some  imagined  excellency 
which  has  gone  beyond  that  which  is  ordinarily  seen  in  man.  The 
result  is  that  heathenism  has  ceased  to  worship  God  at  all,  and  has 
attached  its  worship  to  fancied  incarnation,  either  in  men  or  in  mere 
idols  of  stone  and  wood.  So  have  the  heathen  lost  all  conception  of 
the  infinite  perfections  of  God,  and  have  sunken  into  the  lowest  and 
most  debasing  beliefs  concerning  him.  The  dissatisfaction  which 
the  longing  and  hungering  soul  of  sinful  man  has  felt  with  one 
fajicied  incarnation,  had  led  on  to  other  endless  fancied  incarnations, 
until  heathenism  to-day  is  crowded  with  millions  of  fancied  gods, 
who  have  utterly  effaced  from  their  thoughts  and  hearts  any  and  all 
knowledge  of  the  true  God.  In  India  alone,  it  is  estimated  that 
there  are  more  than  3,000,000  of  gods  who  receive  worship  from  the 
inhabitants  of  this  land. 

2. — The  protest  of  Christianity  and  its  teachings. — It  would  ap- 
pear that,  as  soon  as  the  miracle  had  been  completed,  the  apostles 
left  the  place  of  assembly,  and  were  not  aware  of  the  effect  of  the 
miracle  on  the  people  until  they  were  informed  of  the  preparations 
which  were  being  made  to  pay  them  Divine  honors.  As  soon  as  they 
learned  this,  full  of  horror,  they  rent  their  clothes,  and  ran  in  among 
the  people  and  uttered  their  determined  protest  at  the  sinful  pro- 
ceedings.    The  points  of  their  protest  and  teaching  are  full  of  inter- 


394  WORK   AMONG   THE   GENTILES. 

est.  (i)  The  humble  confession  of  their  own  humanity.  "We  also 
are  men  of  like  passions  (frailties)  with  you."  Therefore  we  are  not 
the  objects  of  worship.  Contrast  their  conduct  with  that  of  Herod. 
(Acts  xii,  22,  23.)  (ii)  Their  mission  was  not  to  increase  idolatry  or 
multiply  incarnations,  but  to  preach  to  them  that  they  should  turn 
from  these  vanities  (empty  fables).  (I.  Thess.  i,  9,  10.)  Christian- 
ity is  opposed  to  idolatry  in  any  and  every  form.  The  repudiation 
of  the  offered  worship  of  these  heathen  by  the  apostles  is  in  striking 
contrast  with  that  acceptance  of  the  worship  of  saints,  and  the  in- 
troduction of  idols  and  all  manner  of  heathen  superstitions  which 
the  false  Church  of  Rome  has  encouraged  and  introduced,  and  a 
strong  tendency  to  which  is  seen  in  one  branch  of  the  Protestant 
Church  of  to-day.  (iii)  Turning  from  idols,  they  are  taught  to  wor- 
ship "  the  living  God,  who  made  heaven  and  earth  and  the  sea,  and 
all  things  that  are  therein."  (iv)  In  times  past,  God  "suffered  the 
nations  to  walk  in  their  own  ways,"  perhaps  as  a  punishment  for 
their  deliberate  rejection  of  the  early  revelation  which  God  had  given 
them:  "But  now  he  commands  all  men  everywhere  to  repent." 
(Acts  xvii,  30.)  (v)  During  this  time  of  abandonment,  God  had  not 
left  himself  without  witness ;  not  indeed  by  direct  revelation,  but  he 
continued  to  give,  in  the  order  of  his  providence,  "  rain  from  heaven, 
and  fruitful  seasons,  filling  our  hearts  with  food  and  gladness.'' 
These  gifts  of  God  in  nature  were  a  testimony  to  his  being  and 
beneficence,  and  should  have  saved  even  the  heathen  from  confound- 
ing the  Creator  with  the  creature.  This  whole  passage  has  been 
admirably  summed  up  by  Langbein,  as  follows:  1.  "Christianity 
contends  against  the  deification  of  men,  while  it  proclaims  the  in- 
carnation of  God.  2.  It  contends  against  the  worship  of  nature, 
while  it  proclaims  the  Living  God  the  Lord  of  creation.  3.  It  con- 
tends against  man's  inclination  to  walk  in  his  own  way,  while  it 
commands  him  to  walk  in  the  way  of  God's  commandments."  Not- 
withstanding their  earnest  remonstrance,  it  was  with  the  utmost 
difficulty  that  Paul  and  Barnabas  restrained  the  heathen  from  carry- 
ing out  their  purpose  to  sacrifice  to  them. 

III.— PAUL   IS    STONED. 

The  troubles  of  the  apostles  were  not  ended  with  this  sudden  out- 
break of  heathenism.  While  they  were  still  in  Lystra,  there  came 
certain  Jews  over  from  Iconium  and  Antioch  to  do  them  mischief. 
The  hatred  of  the  Jews  was  very  intense  ;  so  intense,  indeed,  that  a 
party  of  them  at  Antioch,  from  whom  Paul  had  turned  on  "their  re- 


PAUL    [S   STONED.  395 

jection  of  Christ  to  preach  to  the  Gentiles,  traveled  as  far  as  Ico- 
nium,  where  there  were  other  angry  Jews,  and  recruiting  their  party, 
followed  Paul  and  Barnabas  to  this  remote  region,  where  they  were 
preaching  to  the  heathen.  The  journey  was  at  least  an  hundred  and 
twenty  miles,  but  these  haters  of  God  and  his  servants  were  willing 
to  take  it,  if  only  they  might  succeed  in  stopping  the  testimony  of 
these  fearless  men,  whose  message  they  saw,  if  believed,  would  in- 
evitably overthrow  their  own  proud  religious  supremacy. 

1. — A  fickle  multitude. — These  Jews  seem  to  have  succeeded,  by 
false  report  and  slander,  in  raising  a  great  prejudice  against  the 
apostles,  and  finally  stirred  them  up  to  such  a  piteh  that  they  sought 
to  kill  them.  How  characteristic  is  this  proceeding !  The  people, 
and  the  priests  especially,  were  angry  with  Paul  and  Barnabas  be- 
cause they  not  only  refused  their  proffer  of  worship,  but  rebuked 
their  superstition  and  idolatry,  and  warned  them  of  the  danger  and 
sin  of  it,  and  exhorted  them  to  turn  to  the  Living  God.  With  their 
wounded  pride  still  smarting  under  the  apostolic  rebuke,  they  were 
quite  ready  to  lend  themselves  to  the  evil  design  of  the  apostate 
Jews.  So  it  happened  with  these  servants  as  it  had  occurred  with 
their  Master.  To-day  it  is  "  Hosannah  to  him  that  cometh  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,"  and  to-morrow  it  is,  "Away  with  him,  crucify 
him,  crucify  him."  Yesterday  these  heathen  would  have  done  sac- 
rifice to  the  apostles  and  worshiped  them  as  gods  ;  to-day  they  will 
stone  them  to  death  in  their  streets. 

2. — "  Once  I  was  stoned.  " — In  enumerating  the  things  he  had 
suffered  for  Christ,  in  after  years,  Paul  very  pathetically  alluded  to 
this  experience  in  Lystra,  where  he  was  stoned  and  dragged  out  of 
the  city  for  dead.  How  vividly  it  must  have  come  before  the  mind 
of  Paid,  while  the  shower  of  stones  was  falling  upon  him  and  he  felt 
himself  sinking  beneath  their  cruel  blows,  that  a  few  years  before 
he  was  standing  by,  consenting  to  the  same  kind  of  proceeding, 
which  indeed  he  himself  had  incited  against  Stephen.  Our  sins 
often  come  back  to  us  in  fruit  after  their  own  kind.  It  did  so  in 
this  case.  Yet  Paul  does  not  speak  of  it  except  in  terms  of  glad- 
ness, that  he  should  have  thus  been  permitted  to  suffer  for  Christ, 
whom  he  had  once  persecuted  in  the  persons  of  his  disciples. 

3. — Fellowship  in  suffering. — Bitter  as  was  this  experience, 
there  was  comfort  in  the  midst  of  it.  His  enemies  having  stoned 
him,  dragged  him  out  of  the  city,  and  left  him  for  dead ;  but  loving 
disciples  came  also  and  stood  about  him.  These  were  some  of  the 
heathen  who  had  received  the  Gospel  and  turned  from  idols  to  serve 
the  living  and  true  God.     There  is  no  compensation  for  sufferings 


396  WORK   AMONG   THE   GENTILES. 

and  sacrifices  made  in  the  service  of  Christ  equal  to  that  of  knowing 
that  sinners  have  been  converted  and  souls  have  been  saved.  A 
fruitful  ministry,  with  suffering  and  persecution,  is  infinitely  prefer- 
able to  a  ministry  popular  with  the  world,  but  barren  of  fruit  unto 
God.  When  Paul  revived  out  of  his  swoon,  or  from  death,  if  he 
were  really  dead,  he  did  not  at  once  flee  to  another  city,  as  in  other 
instances,  but  went  back  into  the  city ;  perhaps  he  was  not  able  that 
day  to  travel,  and  was  taken  to  the  house  of  some  of  the  disciples  to 
be  dressed  of  his  wounds.  Perhaps  the  populace  was  satisfied  with 
what  they  had  done,  and  did  not  care  further  to  persecute. 

IV— ON  THE   RETURN   JOURNEY. 

The  next  day,  with  Barnabas,  Paul  went  to  Derbe.  Derbe  was 
the  objective  point  of  this  missionary  journey.  Paul  will  finish  the 
work  he  had  undertaken,  notwithstanding  what  had  occurred.  En- 
tering Derbe,  they  began  their  work  just  as  if  nothing  had  happened, 
and  having  successfully  preached  the  Gospel  there — for  they  taught 
many,  that  is,  made  many  disciples — they  returned  to  Lystra.  Why 
did  he  not  take  another  way  back  to  Syrian  Antioch,  where  they 
were  now  minded  to  return,  in  order  to  give  a  report  of  their  journey- 
ings.  This  might  have  been  safer,  and  certainly  such  a  course  would 
have  been  more  prudent.  But  these  apostles  were  made  of  other 
stuff.  If  they  had  been  persecuted  by  the  Jews,  surely  they  could 
not  forget  those  young  converts  whom  they  had  left  behind  in  all  the 
places  where  they  had  preached,  and  the  care  they  had  for  their  souls 
was  greater  than  the  fear  they  had  for  their  own  lives.  Barnabas 
was  of  the  same  mind.  It  was  well  for  them  that  John-Mark  had 
already  departed  for  Jerusalem,  or  he  might  have  made  trouble  in 
trying  to  dissuade  them  from  their  self-sacrificing  and  heroic  course. 

1. — Back  to  Iconium  and  Antioch. — It  was  from  Antioch  and 
Iconium  that  the  persecuting  Jews  had  come  who  had  stirred  up  the 
people  of  Lystra  to  stone  Paul.  Back  to  those  cities  these  men  went 
with  their  hearts  full  of  love  and  anxiety  for  the  disciples  there. 
They  would  be  discouraged,  and  perhaps  believe  the  evil  reports 
already  in  circulation  against  their  "fathers  in  the  Gospel."  Had 
Paul  and  Barnabas  passed  them  by  on  their  way  to  the  mother 
Church,  they  might  have  had  reason  to  believe  the  reports.  So  their 
return  was  necessary  to  clear  their  own  characters,  as  well  as  for  the 
strengthening  of  the  faith  of  the  young  believers.  Insincere  men 
would  not  so  put  their  heads  in  the  lion's  mouth,  and  a  false  religion 
would  not  give  evidence  of  such  disinterested  love  of  the  brethren. 


ON   THE   RETURN   JOURNEY".  397 

2. — Confirming  the  souls  of  the  disciples. — Every  young  convert 
needs  to  be  confirmed  in  his  faith  by  further  instruction,  and  much 
r-are  and  nurture.  To  this  task  the  apostles  gave  themselves.  Two 
matters  entered  into  this  further  teaching,  (i)  Exhortation.  They 
were  exhorted  to  continue  steadfast  in  the  faith  which  they  had  em- 
braced, and  no  doubt  taught  further  as  to  the  sure  grounds  and 
foundations  of  it,  out  of  the  Scriptures.  (ii)  Warning.  The  apos- 
tles told  them  frankly  that  their  faith  would  probably  cost  them 
something  by  way  of  suffering,  but  they  explained  to  them,  that  it 
is  only  with  much  tribulation  that  believing  souls  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God.  Not  that  tribulation  •  and  suffering  are  prices  to  be 
paid  for  the  privilege  of  being  accepted  of  God,  but  that  all  true 
faith  in  Christ  will  stir  up  the  hatred  of  the  world,  and  all  life  that 
is  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  will  bring  down  persecution.  So  they  must 
not  be  surprised  if  they,  too,  had  to  suffer  something.  This  exhorta- 
tion and  teaching  came  well  from  men  who  had  themselves  been 
mobbed,  and  from  one  who  had  been  stoned  and  left  for  dead,  for 
Christ's  sake.  They  are  the  best  teachers  who  have  had  the  deepest 
experience,  and  they  are  the  best  leaders  who  have  themselves  gone 
over  the  road.  Let  us  remember  that  it  is  given  us,  not  only  to  be- 
lieve on  the  Lord  Jesus,  but  to  suffer  for  him  also. 


December  11. 


THE   APOSTOLIC    COUNCIL— Acts   xv,    12-29. 

(12)  Then  all  the  multitude  kept  silence,  and  gave  audience  to  Barnabas  and 
Paul,  declaring  what  miracles  and  wonders  God  had  wrought  among  the  Gentiles  by 
them.  (13)  And  after  they  bad  held  their  peace,  James  answered,  saying,  Men  and 
brethren,  hearken  unto  me:  (14)  Simeon  has  declared  how  God  at  first  did  visit  the 
Gentiles,  to  take  out  of  them  a  people  for  his  name.  (15)  And  to  this  agree  the  words 
of  the  prophets;  as  it  is  written,  (l(j)  After  this  I  will  return,  and  will  build  again  the 
tabernacle  of  David,  which  is  fallen  down;  and  I  will  build  again  the  ruins  thereof, 
and  I  will  set  it  up:  (1?)  That  the  residue  of  men  might  seek  after  the  Lord,  and  all  the 
Gentiles,  upon  whom  my  name  is  called,  saith  the  Lord,  who  doeth  all  these  things. 
(18)  Known  unto  God  are  all  his  works  from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  (1Q) 
Wherefore  my  sentence  is,  that  we  trouble  not  them,  which  from  among  the  Gentiles 
are  turned  to  God:  (2C)  But  that  wre  write  unto  them,  that  they  ab-tain  from  pollu- 
tions of  idols,  and  from  fornication,  and  from  things  strangled,  and  from  blood.  (21) 
For  Moses  of  old  time  hath  in  every  city  them  that  preach  him  being  read  in  the 
synagogues  every  sabbath  day.  (83)  Then  pleased  it  the  apostles  and  ciders,  with 
the  whole  church,  to  send  chosen  men  of  their  own  company  to  Antioch  with  Taul 
and  Barnabas ;  namely,  Judas  surnamed  Barsabas,  and  Silas,  chief  men  among  the 
brethren:  (2  )  And  they  wrote  letters  by  them  after  this  manner;  The  apostles  and 
elders  and  brethren  send  greeting  unto  the  brethren  which  are  of  the  Gentiles  in 
Antioch  and  Syria  and  Silicia:  (24)  Forasmuch  as  we  have  heard,  that  certain  which 
went  out  from  us  have  troubled  you  with  words,  subverting  your  souls,  saying,  Ye 
must  be  circumcised,  and  keep  the  law;  to  whom  we  gave  no  such  commandment: 
(J3)  It  seemed  good  unto  us,  being  assembled  with  one  accord,  to  send  chosen  men 
unto  you  with  our  beloved  Barnabas  and  Paul,  (36)  Men  that  have  hazarded  their 
lives  for  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  (2?)  We  have  sent  therefore  Judas  and 
Silas,  who  shall  also  tell  you  the  same  things  by  mouth.  (2S)  For  it  seemed  good  to 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  us,  to  lay  upon  you  no  greater  burden  than  these  necessary 
things;  (2?)  That  ye  abstain  from  meats  offered  to  idols,  and  from  blood,  and  from 
things  strangled,  and  from  fornication:  from  which  if  ye  keep  yourselves,  ye  shall 
do  well.     Fare  ye  well. — Acts  xv,  12-29. 

In  this  portion  of  Luke's  record  a  new  chapter  in  the  history  of 
the  Christian  Church  is  opened.  Hitherto  he  had  devoted  himself  to 
the  task  of  recording  the  acts  of  the  apostles  in  connection  with  the 
gathering  of  the  Church,  especially  with  the  bringing  in  of  the  Gen- 
tiles. Now  a  serious  question  had  arisen  in  that  gathered  Church  on 
a  point  of  doctrine  so  vital  that  everything  else,  preaching,  exhort- 
ing, and  prophesying,  gives  way  to  it,  and  is  put  aside  till  this  ques- 
tion is  settled  and  the  Church  comes  to  rest  within  itself  and  is  firmly 

398 


THE   APOSTOLIC   COUNCIL.  399 

re-established  on  principles  of  sound  doctrine.  In  the  Church  at 
Antioch  there  was  a  mixture  of  Jews  and  Gentiles.  Those  who  had 
been  originally  converted  in  the  city,  and  formed  into  one  Church, 
had  had  no  trouble.  It  was  only  when  some  outside  brethren  from 
Jerusalem  came  down  and  undertook  to  meddle  with  their  affairs 
that  the  trouble  began.  These  Jews  assumed  to  speak  in  the  name 
of  the  Church  at  Jerusalem,  and  said:  "Except  ye  be  circumcised 
after  the  manner  of  Moses,  ye  cannot  be  saved."  What  business 
had  these  self-constituted  teachers  to  come  down  from  Judea  and 
take  upon  themselves  to  teach  these  brethren,  whom  the  Holy  Ghost 
had  already  led  so  much  farther  in  the  way  of  lite  than  themselves? 
It  is  a  great  pity  that  Churches  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  cannot  be 
left  alone  to  manage  their  own  affairs,  without  being  intruded  upon 
by  those  from  without.  We  cannot  but  notice  the  fact  that  Luke 
t peaks  of  these  outsiders  as  "certain  men,''  while  he  speaks  of  the 
members  of  the  Church  at  Antioch  as  "brethren."  There  must  have 
been  intention  in  this.  The  mischievous  work  of  these  men  brought 
on  no  small  dissension  and  disputation.  This  is  a  matter  always  to 
be  deprecated  when  it  can  be  avoided,  but  if  men  come  in  "to  spy 
out  our  liberties,"  then,  even  though  discussion  and  dissension  for 
the  time  being  stop  the  legitimate  work  of  the  Church,  it  must  be 
had  if  the  faith  of  the  Church  of  Christ  is  at  stake.  The  liberty  of 
the  Church  and  the  spiritual  and  individual  freedom  of  believers 
must  be  maintained  at  all  hazards.  It  was  fortunate  not  only  for 
the  Church  at  Antioch,  but  for  all  the  Churches  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  since  that  time,  that  Paul  had  come  back  from  his  missionary 
journey,  and  was  present  to  defend  them  from  the  mischief  of  these 
Judaizers.  Here  we  find  Paul  in  a  new  role.  First  he  was  a  teacher, 
then  he  became  a  missionary,  and  now  he  steps  forth  and  begins  to 
give  to  the  Church  her  theology,  and  to  define  clearly  what  is  and 
what  is  not  the  very  essence  of  the  Gospel.  The  question  at  issue 
was :  "  What  is  essential  to  salvation  ? "  The  Judaizers  had  un- 
doubtedly carried  the  Jewish  brethren  with  them,  and  perhaps  had 
gained  some  of  the  Gentile  converts  over  as  well.  Finally  a  propo- 
!  ition  was  made,  perhaps  by  the  Judaizers,  but  more  likely  by  Paul 
himself,  who  perceived  that  it  was  a  question  that  must  needs  be 
settled  at  the  very  center  of  Christianity,  which  was  still  at  Jerusalem, 
to  carry  the  question  up  there  and  debate  it  with  the  apostles  and 
elders.  These  men  professed  to  come  from  the  mother  Church,  and 
to  speak  in  their  name  (v.  24) ;  so  Paul  would  meet  the  question  at 
the  fountain-head,  not  of  authority,  but  of  suggestion.  No  doubt  the 
matter  might  have  been  settled  for  the  Church  of  Antioch  on  the 


400  THE   APOSTOLIC   COUNCIL. 

spot,  but  perhaps  at  the  expense  of  a  split.  It  is  better,  when  it  is 
possible,  to  appeal  to  a  friendly  and  fraternal  council  of  brethren, 
who  are  equally  interested  in  principle  with  ourselves.  A  deputation 
was  therefore  sent  to  Jerusalem,  consisting  of  Paul,  Barnabas,  and 
certain  other  brethren.  On  their  way  they  visited  some  of  the 
churches  in  Phenice  and  Samaria,  and  told  them  of  the  great  things 
God  had  wrought  among  the  Gentiles  during  their  missionary  tour, 
to  their  great  joy.  When  they  reached  Jerusalem  they  were  cor- 
dially received  by  the  Church,  the  apostles,  and  the  elders,  and  to 
them  they  also  rehearsed  what  God  had  done  for  the  Gentiles.  Here 
they  were  met  by  that  small  party  of  Pharisees  who  had  been  con- 
verted at  Jerusalem,  who  insisted  that  these  Gentiles  should  have 
been,  and  ought  still  to  have  been,  circumcised  and  made  to  keep  the 
law  of  Moses, — that  is,  the  ceremonial  law.  This  brought  on  the 
whole  question,  and  the  discussion  went  on  for  days,  both  in  the 
public  assembly  of  the  Church  and  in  private ;  for  Paul  tells  us  (Gal. 
ii)  that  he  had  much  private  conference  with  the  leading  men  of  the 
Church.  Among  the  number  of  them  that  went  up  was  Titus,  who 
was  a  Greek,  and  Paul  tells  us  that  he  was  not  required  by  the  lead- 
ers of  the  Church  at  Jerusalem  to  be  circumcised.  Finally,  after 
much  private  discussion,  the  apostles  and  elders  came  together, 
apart  from  the  Church,  to  consider  the  matter,  and  afterward  report 
their  conclusion  to  the  whole  assembly,  (v.  22.)  In  studying  the 
proceedings  of  this  council,  we  cannot  but  be  struck  with  the  ab- 
sence of  all  those  claims  which  some  moderns  set  up  for  the  author- 
ity of  councils,  apart  from  the  whole  body  of  the  Church.  Churches 
are  not  the  subjects  of  councils  or  ministers ;  but  councils,  minis- 
ters, and  elders  are  the  servants  of  the  Church,  to  whom  they  are 
bound  to  report  their  work,  and  have  it  ratified  or  rejected. 

I.— THE    COUNCIL   AND   ITS   PROCEEDINGS. 

As  we  have  here  the  account  of  the  only  council,  so  far  as  we 
know,  ever  held  in  apostolic  times  over  any  question  of  vital  impor- 
tance arising  in  the  Church,  it  is  not  only  interesting,  but  of  vital  im- 
portance, that  we  should  study  it  carefully.  Of  course,  in  the  space 
allotted  to  our  brief  studies,  we  can  but  glance  at  its  salient  points, 
which  may  act  as  hints  to  further  and  more  thorough  study. 

1. — The  composition  of  the  council. — We  are  not  at  sea  here, 
for  the  record  is  explicit.  It  was  composed  of  "  the  apostles  and 
elders."  Not  apostles  alone,  but  apostles  and  elders.  The 
matter  was  not  referred  to  Peter  alone  as  primate,  it  was  not  re- 


THE   COUNCIL   AND   ITS   PROCEEDINGS.  401 

ferred  to  apostles  alone,  as  though  they,  and  they  only,  had  exclu- 
sive authority;  but  to  the  apostles  and  elders,  of  whom  James,  the 
Lord's  brother,  was  one,  then  acting  as  the  chief  pastor  of  the  Church 
at  Jerusalem.  There  were  also  among  this  number,  without  doubt, 
Judas-Barsabas,  Silas,  and  other  chief  brethren,  (v.  22.)  Chief 
brethren,  not  because  of  some  magical  chrism  received  by  the  touch 
of  the  apostles'  hands  in  ordination,  but  because  of  chief  abilities 
and  distinguished  piety  and  service.  These  are  the  only  chief  breth- 
ren that  have  any  right  to  conspicuous  place  or  authority  in  the 
Church  of  Christ.  It  is  not  the  office  that  dignifies  the  man  and  gives 
him  authority,  but  the  man  who  dignifies  the  office  and  gives  weight 
to  his  opinions  and  ministrations.  In  the  modern  Church,  people 
are  taught  to  bow  to  some  fancied  magical  authority  which  is  sup- 
posed to  belong  to  certain  (often  very  small)  men,  who  claim  the 
right  to  wear  certain  kinds  of  clothes,  and  attach  a  certain  official 
title  to  their  names,  claiming  to  be  successors  of  the  apostles ; 
but  in  the  ancient  Church  it  was  the  men  who,  by  their  weight  of 
character  and  abilities,  were  chosen  to  represent  and  administer  the 
authority  of  the  Church.  This  is  all  the  difference  between  popery 
and  modern  Churchianity  and  the  Church  of  Christ. 

2. — The  subject  under  discussion. — Here,  also,  we  are  on  ground 
of  the  most  vital  and  utmost  consequence  to  the  Church  of  to-day, 
as  it  was  to  the  Church  then.  The  question  was,  whether  Jesus 
Christ  and  faith  in  him  alone  was  the  all-sufficient  ground  and  con- 
dition of  salvation;  or  whether  it  was  Christ,  together  with  some 
ceremonial  added  to  his  finished  work  and  all-saving  grace,  which 
guaranteed  to  the  believer  eternal  life,  and  all  the  rights  and  privi- 
leges of  fellowship  and  communion.  The  Judaizers  contended  that 
faith  in  Christ  and  circumcision,  together  with  other  ceremonials, 
were  essential:  while  Paul  and  his  party  contended  that  "faith  in 
Christ  only ?*  was  the  all-sufficient  ground  of  salvation.  It  may  be 
said  that  the  questions  of  circumcision  and  the  ceremonial  law  of 
Moses  have  long  since  passed  out  of  question  in  the  Church  of  to-day. 
But  this  is  not  true.  The  details  of  the  controversy  have  shifted,  and 
instead,  the  Judaizers  of  to-day  have  substituted  baptism  for  circum- 
cision (or  some  form  of  baptism),  "  confirmation  "  by  some  so-called 
bishop,  and  membership  in  some  so-called  historical  or  apostolic 
Church,  for  the  law  of  Moses.  On  this  ground  they  are  proceeding 
to  deny  fellowship  to  all  believers  who  do  not  conform  to  their  "rit- 
ual." and  even  to  exclude  them  from  salvation,  declaring  that  salva- 
tion is  to  be  found  only  within  their  "Church''  and  through  the  min- 
istry of  their  clergy.     It  is  well  that  Paul  fought  out  this  controversy, 


402  THE   APOSTOLIC   COUNCIL. 

and  it  would  be  well  if  we  of  to-day  would  see  the  importance  of 
"standing  fast  in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ  has  made  us  free," 
that  we  "be  not  again  entangled  in  this  (new)  yoke  of  bondage." 

3. — The  proceedings  of  the  council. — There  had  been  much  des- 
ultory discussion  which  Luke  does  not  record.  After  a  time,  when 
the  others  had  said  out  all  they  had  to  say,  Peter  first,  then  Paul  and 
Barnabas,  and  afterward  James,  delivered  themselves  of  various  ad- 
dresses. Perhaps  we  may  regard  the  address  of  James  as  the  sum- 
ming up  of  the  argument,  as  he  most  probably  acted  as  chairman  of 
the  council,  in  virtue  of  his  pastorate,  or  because  of  that  honor 
which  the  Church  delighted  to  confer  upon  him  because  of  his  near 
kinship  to  the  Lord,  being  his  half-brother. 

(i)  The  speech  of  Peter.  Peter's  address  does  not  come  strictly 
within  the  limits  of  our  study,  and  yet  it  is  so  essentially  a  part  of 
it,  that  we  may  not  leave  it  out.  His  speech  was  a  brief  rehearsal 
of  the  fact  that  previously  God  had  made  choice  of  him  to  give  the 
Gospel  to  the  Gentiles,  referring  to  that  special  commission  received 
on  the  house-top.  In  obedience  to  that  command,  he  preached  the 
Gospel  to  Cornelius,  and  it  was  there  proved  that  the  saving  grace 
of  God  came  to  that  Gentile  household  in  precisely  the  same  manner 
that  it  had  been  bestowed  upon  themselves,  bearing  this  witness 
that  God  was  no  respecter  of  persons,  and  had  purified  their  hearts 
by  faith.  Neither  as  a  matter  of  fact  were  they  afterward  required 
to  be  circumcised.  This  was  conclusive  of  the  mind  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  the  matter.  Having  reached  this  conclusion  from  what  the 
Holy  Ghost  had  wrought,  he  proceeds  to  warn  the  brethren,  in  the 
form  of  a  question,  against  going  beyond  what  God  himself  had  re- 
quired, in  their  demands  upon  the  Gentile  converts.  As  for  circum- 
cision and  the  minute  details  of  the  Mosaic  ritual,  Peter  declares 
that  it  had  been  an  "  intolerable  yoke  "  to  them,  without  bringing 
them  life,  being  in  fact  but  a  "school-master  to  keep  them  in  hand 
till  Christ  came";  why  then  "tempt  God"  by  imposing  this  needless 
and  useless  yoke  upon  the  Gentiles  ?  We  are  struck  with  the  clear 
trumpet  tone  cf  Peter's  speech,  all  the  more  because  he  was  natu- 
rally inclined  to  the  other  side  of  the  question  ;  and  we  must  conclude 
that  he  had  been  greatly  influenced  by  his  contact  with  Paul  during 
the  days  of  private  conference.  His  speech  was  essentially  Pauline. 
The  whole  argument  is:  "Whom  God  receives  we  dare  not  reject, 
and  to  impose  ceremonials  and  forms  where  God  has  not  done  it  is 
to  tempt  God."     This  is  Christianity  versus  Churchianity. 

(ii)  The  speeches  of  Barnabas  and  Paul.  Peter's  speech  produced 
so  marked  an  effect  that  no  one  arose  to  answer  it,  but  all  kept 


THE   COUNCIL   AND   ITS   PROCEEDINGS.  403 

silence.  Then  Barnabas  arose  and  spoke.  Perhaps  he  took  the 
floor  first  instead  of  Paul,  because  he  had  originally  been  sent  down 
to  Antioch  by  the  Church  at  Jerusalem,  and  because  he  was  better 
known  to  the  brethren  than  was  Paul,  and  there  were  no  prejudices 
against  hiin.  After  Barnabas  had  finished,  Paid  spoke.  We  have 
no  account  of  these  two  speeches,  except  the  merest  statement  that 
they  related  how  God  had  wrought  wonders  of  grace  and  power 
among  the  Gentiles  during  their  missionary  journey,  as  well  as  dur- 
ing the  year  they  spent  together  in  Antioch.  We  wonder  that  Luke, 
the  special  friend  of  Paul,  should  give  in  such  full  outline  Peter's 
address  and  dismiss  Paul's  with  a  mere  reference.  There  may  have 
been  two  reasons.  First,  it  is  better  to  have  a  point  established  by 
the  testimony  of  one  not  supposed  to  be  so  deeply  interested  in  the 
decision  ;  and,  second,  Paul's  argument  had  already  been  fully  writ- 
ten out  by  himself  in  burning  words,  in  his  epistle  to  the  Galatians, 
where  our  readers  may  study  it  in  detail,  especially  the  second 
chapter  of  that  epistle,  in  which  the  apostle  gives  a  minute  account 
of  this  debate.  "We  may  be  sure  that  Paul  followed  closely  in  the 
line  of  Peter  in  the  matter  of  reviewing  the  work  of  God,  the  Holy 
Spirit,  in  connection  with  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles. 

(iii)  Tlte  speech  of  James.  At  the  conclusion  of  Paul's  address, 
silence  ensued  in  the  council.  No  one  seemed  to  want  to  say  more. 
The  Judaizers  were  silenced,  if  not  convinced.  Then  it  was  that 
James  took  up  the  matter,  and  asked  the  attention  of  the  council  to 
what  he  was  about  to  say.  James  was  notably  devoted  to  the  old 
Mosaic  order,  and  his  name  had  been  freely  used  by  the  Judaizing 
party  to  back  up  their  teaching.  (Gal.  ii,  12.)  His  address  was  all 
the  more  notable  from  this  circumstance.  Indeed,  we  cannot  resist 
the  conviction  that  the  views  of  James  himself  had  undergone  a 
great  change,  and  that  he  had  come  around  to  Paul's  view  of  the  mat- 
ter. What  a  great  thing  it  is  to  have  a  man  like  Paul  in  the  Church 
at  such  a  time  as  this — a  man  who  has  the  clear  perception  of  truth, 
and  the  fearless  coinage  to  advocate  it  and  stand  by  it  in  the  face  of 
all  opposition  !  James  begins  his  address  by  referring  to  the  unde- 
niable facts  wdiich  Peter  had  brought  before  them,  and  which  Bar- 
nabas and  Paid  had  confirmed  by  a  larger  testimony  in  the  same 
direction.  James  had  the  advantage  of  traveling  over  a  road  already 
macadamized  by  hard  facts. — facts  which  could  not  be  gainsaid  or 
overthrown  by  any  possible  theory,  however  ingeniously  put.  When 
certain  Judaizers  of  to-day  tell  us  that  we  have  no  authority  or  right 
to  preach  the  Gospel,  and  that  men  cannot  be  saved  unless  through 
their  ministry  and  by  means  of  their  ceremonies,  we  have  only  to 


404  THE   APOSTOLIC    COUNCIL. 

appeal  to  the  indisputable  fact  that  the  Holy  Ghost  puts  his  seal  to 
the  word  preached  by  others  than  themselves,  and  that  men  and 
women  by  the  thousands  and  hundreds  of  thousands  are  being  annu- 
ally converted  to  God,  and  their  hearts  purified  by  the  power  of  faith 
in  Jesus  Christ  without  either  baptism,  confirmation,  or  membership 
in  the  so-called  "only  true  Church,"  and  are  living  "holily,  godlily, 
and  righteously  in  this  present  evil  world,"  serving  God  acceptably, 
and  being  honored  by  the  Lord  in  their  work.  It  is  better  to  have 
this  testimony  of  God  than  a  thousand  cart-loads  of  Church  and  ec- 
clesiastical theories.  As  James  listened  to  the  rehearsal  of  the 
works  of  God,  he  seems  suddenly  to  have  had  a  fresh  conception  of 
the  teaching  of  the  word  of  God,  and  while  he  does  not  appeal  from 
the  work  of  God  to  the  ivorcl  of  God,  he  did  wisely  in  showing  how 
all  that  Peter  had  said  and  testified  to  was  in  literal  accord  with  the 
teaching  of  the  word  of  God.  After  all,  it  is  to  the  word  of  God  that 
we*  must  make  our  final  appeal.  If  any  tuork,  however  wonderful  it 
may  be,  does  not  agree  with  the  word  of  God,  we  are  safe  in  denying 
to  it  the  authority  of  God.  For  the  Spirit,  the  work,  and  the  tcord  of 
God  must  agree.  "  Simon  hath  declared  how  God  at  the  first  did 
visit  the  Gentiles,  to  take  out  of  them  a  people  for  his  name.  And 
to  this  agree  the  words  of  the  prophets,  as  it  is  written."  He  then 
proceeds  to  quote  one  specific  prophecy,  uttered  by  Amos  ix,  11,  12, 
and  strengthens  that  statement  by  reference  to  very  many  others, 
which  he  does  not  give  in  detail.  The  gist  of  them  all  was  that, 
from  the  beginning,  it  has  been  God's  purpose  to  rebuild  his  Church, 
which  had  fallen  into  decay  under  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  by  intro- 
ducing into  it  a  vast  multitude  of  Gentiles,  which  he  was  now  doing. 
He  would  not  discredit  Moses  and  the  prophets,  but  declared  that, 
though  they  had  for  many  years  been  read  regularly  in  the  syna- 
gogues in  the  Gentile  world  on  every  Sabbath  day,  they  had  not 
effected  this  purpose  of  God.  Whereas  the  preaching  of  Jesus  with- 
out the  law  had  brought  in  the  Gentiles.  It  was  therefore  clear  that 
God  did  not  mean  that  the  Gentiles  should  come  under  this  Mosaic 
rule.  Here  again  we  have  clear  reasoning,  in  which  we  see  that  the 
Avord  and  the  works  of  God  are  in  agreement.  James  concluded  his 
address  by  announcing  his  sentence  :  "  That  we  trouble  not  them, 
which  from  among  the  Gentiles  are  turned  unto  God,  but  that  we  write 
unto  them  that  they  abstain  from  pollution  of  idols,  and  from  forni- 
cation, and  from  things  strangled,  and  from  blood."  In  the  former 
two  things  we  see  offenses  against  God  and  the  moral  law,  while  in 
the  latter  we  see  offenses  against  the  prejudices  and  former  relig- 
ious training  of  their  Jewish  brethren. 


THE   LETTER    OF    THE   CHURCH   AT    JERUSALEM.      405 

(iv)  The  decision  of  the  council  mtified  by  the  Church.  This  conclu- 
sion of  the  council,  with  its  recommendation,  was  afterward  submit- 
ted to  the  whole  Church,  which  in  turn  ratified  it,  and  proceeded  at 
once  to  carry  it  out.  In  this  action,  we  see  how  different  the  coun- 
cil of  the  ancient  Church  was  from  all  those  modern  caricatures 
which  assume  to  speak  for  God  without  the  concurrence  of  the 
Church  itself.  After  all,  the  Church  is  a  more  weighty  body  than 
that  of  any  number  of  apostles  and  elders,  and  her  authority  is  the 
final  one  in  all  matters  of  practice,  so  far  as  it  is  in  accord  with  the 
work  of  the  Spirit  and  the  word  of  God.  For  it  must  ho  noticed 
again  that  this  decision  was  only  the  voice  of  the  Church  consenting 
and  submitting  to  the  voice  of  God  in  his  work  and  word. 

II.— THE     LETTER   OF    THE    CHURCH   AT  JERUSALEM 
TO   THEIR    GENTILE    BRETHREN. 

After  the  council  had  concluded  its  labors  and  the  Church  had 
approved  their  decision  as  to  the  matters  in  controversy,  and  their 
determination  to  communicate  that  decision  by  letter  to  the  Gentiles, 
they  selected  "chosen  men  of  their  own  company,"  namely.  Judas- 
Barsabas  and  Silas,  to  accompany  Paul  and  Barnabas  back  to  An- 
tioch,  and  with  them  to  deliver  the  letter.  It  was  wise,  in  the  first 
place,  to  commit  the  decision  of  the  council  to  writing,  lest  there  be 
any  mistake  or  dispute  arising  from  a  merely  verbal  report ;  and  it 
was  wise  to  send  two  of  the  brethren  of  the  Church  at  Jerusalem 
with  Paul  and  Silas,  that  they  might  the  more  thoroughly  confirm 
the  tidings  they  brought.  We  can  only  note  the  outline  of  this  let- 
ter. 

1. — The  salutation. — Notice  that  it  is  the  apostles  and  elders  and 
brethren.  Xot  the  apostles  alone,  nor  the  apostles  and  elders.  It 
was  the  salutation  of  the  ivhoJe  Church,  and  not  a  part  of  it.  Also 
note  the  tender  fellowship  conveyed  in  the  address  :  "  Send  greeting 
to  the  brethren  which  are  of  the  Gentiles  in  Antioch  and  Syria  and 
Cilicia."  No  tone  of  superiority  or  patronage  here,  but  just  a  loving 
fellowship.  This  testifies  how  hearty  and  genuine  the  feeling  was 
toward  them,  and  how  sincerely  they  had  reached  a  decision  favor- 
able to  them,  even  against  their  own  strong  natural  and  educational 
prejudices.  This  was  because  their  decision  was  reached,  not  by 
the  counsel  of  flesh  and  blood,  but  by  the  aid  and  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Holy  Ghost,     (v.  28.) 

2. — The  Judaizers  repudiated. — Verse  twenty-four  suggests  deep 
regret  for  the  "trouble "  which  had  been   caused  to  them  bv  men 


406  THE   APOSTOLIC   COUNCIL. 

from  their  own  company,  who  had*  "  subverted  their  souls  "  by  their 
impositions  ;  and  the  repudiation  of  them,  denying  that  they  had  re- 
ceived any  such  commandment  from  the  Church  at  Jerusalem. 

3. — The  messengers. — In  sending  their  letter  to  them,  they  had 
entrusted  it  into  the  hands  of  two  of  their  chosen  brethren,  who, 
with  Paul  and  Barnabas,  would  deliver  it.  This  letter  also  takes  oc- 
casion to  speak  in  most  loving  terms  of  the  Antiochan  messengers, 
Paul  and  Barnabas,  "men  that  have  hazarded  their  lives  for  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ."  What  greater  praise  than  this  !  No  doubt  this 
was  spoken  that  the  Gentile  brethren  might  understand  how  truly 
they  loved  and  how  highly  they  honored  these  particular  brethren, 
who  were  their  own  chosen  and  trusted  teachers. 

4. — The  judgment. — This  letter  conveying  their  decision  was  not 
in  the  form  of  a  command,  as  though  they  had  authority  over  their 
consciences,  but  a  brotherly  statement  of  the  conclusions  they  had 
reached  in  the  matter  that  had  been  referred  to  them  for  judgment. 

It  is  not  surprising  that,  when  this  letter  was  read  to  these  Gen- 
tile believers  who  had  been  harried  by  the  Judaizers,  "they  rejoiced 
at  the  consolatioii." 


December  18,  1893. 


LI. 

REVIEW   OR   OPTIONAL    LESSON. 


(407) 


December  35, 


LII. 

I.— THE    BIRTH    OF  CHRIST:    A  CHRISTMAS  LESSON. 
— Luke    ii,  8-20. 

(8)  And  there  were  in  the  same  country  shepherds  ahiding  in  the  field,  keeping 
watch  over  Iheir  flock  by  night.  (9)  And,  lo,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  came  upon  them 
and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shone  round  about  them;  and  they  were  sore  afraid.  (10) 
And  the  ange;  said  unto  them,  Pear  not:  for,  behold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of 
great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all  people.  (11)  For  unto  you  is  born  this  day  in  the  city 
of  David  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord.  (12)  And  this  shall  be  a  sign  unto 
you:  Ye  shall  find  the  babe  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes,  lying  in  a  manger.  (IS) 
And  suddenly  there  was  with  the  angel  a  multitude  of  the  heavenly  host  praising 
God,  and  saying,  (14)  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good  will 
toward  men.  (15)  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  the  angels  were  gone  away  from  them  into 
heaven,  the  shepherds  said  one  to  another,  Let  us  now  go  even  unto  Bethlehem,  and 
see  this  thing  which  is  come  to  pass,  which  the  Lord  hath  made  known  unto  us.  (16) 
And  they  came  with  haste,  and  found  Mary  and  Joseph,  and  the  babe  lying  in  a 
manger.  (17)  And  when  they  had  seen  it,  they  made  known  abroad  the  saying 
which  was  told  them  concerning  this  child.  (16)  And  all  they  that  heard  it  wondered 
at  those  things  which  were  told  them  by  the  shepherds.  (19)  But  Mary  kept  all  these 
things,  and  pondered  them  in  her  heart.  (2)  And  the  shepherds  returned,  glorify- 
ing and  praising  God  for  all  the  things  that  they  had  heard  and  seen,  as  it  was  told 
unto  them.— Luke  ii,  8-20. 

The  exquisite  simplicity  of  Luke's  story  of  Iho  nativity  of  our 
Lord  is  one  of  the  strongest  proofs  of  the  authenticity  and  genuine- 
ness of  the  Gospel.  Says  Canon  Farrar,  in  his  delightful  Life  of 
Christ :  "  There  is  no  more  decisive  criterion  of  their  [the  Gospel 
records]  absolute  credibility  as  simple  histories  than  the  marked  and 
violent  contrast  which  they  offer  to  all  the  spurious  gospels  of  the 
early  cenutries,  and  all  the  imaginative  legends  which  have  clustered 
about  them."  In  these  accounts,  "there  is  nothing  of  the  exuber- 
ance of  marvel,  and  mystery,  and  miracle  which  appear  alike  in  the 
Jewish  imaginations  about  their  coming  Messiah,  and  in  the  apochry- 
phal  narratives  about  the  Infant  Christ."  "Had  our  Gospels  been 
unauthentic,  they  too  must  inevitably  have  partaken  of  the  charac- 
teristics which  mark,  without  exception,  every  early  fiction  about 
the  Saviour's  life."  This  exceptional  simplicity,  then,  can  only  be 
accounted  for  on  the  ground  of  the  supernatural  guidance   which 

408 


THE    BIRTH    OF   CHRIST:    A    CHRISTMAS  LESSON.      400 

was  given  to  Luke  as  he  recorded  this  matchlessly  beautiful  story, 
the  facts  of  which  he  probably  obtained  from  the  lips  of  the  mother 
of  Jesus  herself.  It  would  not  have  been  in  the  power  of  man,  un- 
less he  had  been  supernaturally  restrained,  to  have  written  this  story 
of  stories  in  so  few  words,  so  delicately,  and  in  so  simple  a  style. 
The  story  of  our  Lord's  nativity  has  never  ceased  to  exercise  a  fas- 
cinating power  over  the  hearts  of  both  old  and  young.  It  has  been, 
throughout  the  centuries  since,  the  theme  of  poet,  sage,  and  artist. 
In  vain  has  one  artist  after  another  sought  to  realize,  in  his  own  cre- 
ation, what  has  been  unsatisfactory  to  him  in  the  creations  of  the 
one,  and  all  others  who  have  preceded  in  the  same  field  of  effort. 
The  same  is  true  of  poets  and  sages  who  have  tried  to  tell  this  story 
in  fuller  detail.  Our  hymnals  are  crowded  with  songs  of  praise, 
which  are  founded  on  this  transcendent  event,  in  all  of  which  the 
worshiping  souls  of  the  writers  have  tried  to  portray,  in  their  song, 
the  exceeding  glory  of  our  Lord's  birth.  Among  all  the  festivals  of 
the  Christian  Church,  there  is  no  one  that  brings  with  it  so  much  of 
joy  and  gladness  as  that  one  which  we  call  Christmas.  Then  the 
hearts  of  the  parents  are  turned  to  the  children,  and  the  hearts  of 
the  children  to  their  parents,  as  at  no  other  time  ;  and  the  hearts  of 
all  are  turned  toward  the  great  and  loving  God,  who  "so  loved  the 
world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  belie veth 
on  him,  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."'  Even  wicked 
men  and  infidels  celebrate  this  day,  and  for  a  season  seem  to  come 
imder  the  softening  influences  which  come  along  with  it,  and  for 
that  day,  at  least,  seem  reconciled  to  God. 

For  long  ages,  even  from  the  days  of  the  garden  of  Eden,  when 
God  promised  to  our  fallen  parents  that  there  should  come  one  born 
of  woman  who  should  bruise  the  head  of  the  serpent,  and  set  them 
and  their  children  free  from  the  guilt  and  power  of  sin,  had  the 
promise  of  our  Lord's  birth  into  the  world  been  suspended  before 
the  expectation  of  men.  For  fifteen  hundred  years,  from  the  calling 
of  Abraham,  who  "saw  Christ's  day  and  was  glad,"  to  the  last  of  the 
prophets  of  Israel,  they  and  the  sweet  psalmists  had  spoken  and 
sung  of  his  coming.  Every  figure  of  speech  known  to  the  use  of 
language,  every  allegory,  simile,  and  comparison  with  things  in 
heaven  and  things  on  earth,  have  the  prophets,  seers,  and  sages 
used  to  set  forth  the  glories  and  the  joys  waiting  upon  the  advent  of 
Christ.  The  Old  Testament  Scripture  throbs  on  every  page  with 
this  hope  ;  and  as  the  time  went  on,  age  after  age,  the  light  of  the 
dawn  of  his  coming  seems  to  glow  in  the  later  chapters  of  prophecy. 
Amid  all  the  sin  and  suffering  of  that  wonderful  people,  the  Jews, 


410      THE    BIRTH   OF   CHRIST:   A   CHRISTMAS   LESSON. 

they  never  lost  that  hope,  or  gave  up  that  expectation.  Even  at  the 
time  of  his  advent,  the  nation  which  received  him  not  when  he  came, 
but  rejected  and  crucified  him,  were  longing  for  his  coming  with  a 
passionate  longing  only  possible  to  those  who,  for  fifteen  centuries, 
had  been  trained  to  expect  him.  The  heavy  yoke  of  the  Roman 
bondage  was  upon  them ;  every  day  they  were  being  humiliated,  and 
all  their  dearest  traditions  and  beliefs  were  insulted,  and  there  was 
absolutely  no  hope  of  deliverance  out  of  the  hand  of  Cassar  by  any 
earthly  power ;  so  they  turned  with  passionate  desire  to  the  promises 
of  their  Scriptures  concerning  the  coming  of  their  Messiah,  at  just 
such  a  time  of  bitter  need  as  this.  There  were  those,  too,  who  were 
longing  for  his  coming  for  other  than  political  reasons ;  souls  like 
old  Simeon  and  Anna,  the  prophetess,  who  were  longing  to  see  the 
salvation  of  God,  and  the  iron  yoke  of  sin  broken  from  the  souls  of 
God's  people,  and  they  introduced  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  a  true 
salvation.  There  were  also  men  in  the  nation,  Israelites  indeed,  in 
whom  there  was  no  guile,  who,  like  Nathaniel,  were  searching  the 
Scriptures  and  looking  for  "him  of  whom  Moses,  in  the  law  and  the 
prophets,  did  speak."     The  time  was  now  come. 

The  peasant  carpenter,  Joseph,  of  the  royal  line  of  David,  with 
his  wedded  maiden  wife  Mary,  had  come  up  to  Bethlehem,  the 
ancient  home  of  their  forefather,  in  obedience  to  the  decree  of  Au- 
gustus, to  be  enrolled  in  the  census,  which  their  Imperial  master  had 
ordered  to  be  taken  throughout  Judea.  They  must  have  traveled 
slowly  on  account  of  the  delicate  state  of  Mary's  health.  Other  trav- 
elers had  passed  them  again  and  again  on  the  road,  so  that  when 
they  arrived  at  the  village  caravansarie,  they  found  all  the  little 
rooms  in  the  building  set  apart  for  the  accommodation  of  travelers 
fully  occupied,  and,  of  necessity,  they  were  compelled  to  befake 
themselves  to  the  rude  outbuilding  in  the  compound  provided  for  the 
horses,  asses,  and  camels.  This  was  a  cheerless  and  desolate  place 
for  Joseph  to  take  his  maiden- wife  to,  especially  in  her  delicate  con- 
dition. We  can  fancy  him  tenderly  making  the  best  of  the  bitter 
necessity,  and  selecting  the  most  retired  spot  in  the  midst  of  the 
lowly  and  repulsive  surroundings  for  his  weary  wife  to  lay  herself 
down  and  wait  for  the  coming  of  that  event  which,  from  all  eternity, 
God  had  been  waiting  to  accomplish.  How  little  the  world  knew 
what  was  happening  in  that  manger  place ;  how  little  those  about 
them  knew,  none  of  whom  had  volunteered  to  make  place  for  her  in 
the  inn  !  We  may  be  sure  that  Joseph  gave  no  hint  of  the  coming 
event,  and  made  no  claim  to  their  courtesy  on  that  account,  for  the 
inystery  of  that  wonderful  conception  had  been  carefully  hidden  in 


THE   HEEALD   ANGELS.  411 

both  their  hearts.  They,  and  they  alone,  knew  the  dread  hut  glori- 
ous secret  of  the  near  advent  of  the  long-expected  Messiah,  in  the 
person  of  the  helpless  babe,  about  to  be  born  there  in  that  manger. 

I.— THE   HERALD   ANGELS. 

In  that  country,  perhaps  a  mile  from  the  village  of  Bethlehem, 
there  were  some  humble  "  shepherds  abiding  in  the  fields,  keeping 
watch  over  their  flocks  by  night."  These  fields  were  probably  on 
the  site  of  the  old  homestead  of  the  ancestors  of  Christ.  There  once, 
Ruth  had  followed,  with  a  heavy  and  lonely  heart,  the  gleaners  of 
Boaz,  the  great-grandfather  of  David;  there  David  had  aforetime 
(the  youngest  and  despised  brother  in  the  family  of  Jesse)  watched 
the  flocks  of  his  father,  and  studied  the  heavens,  the  wonder  and 
majesty  of  which  had  to  his  poetic  soul  "  declared  the  glory  of  God, 
and  showed  forth  his  handiwork."  Now,  centuries  after,  there  was 
to  burst  forth  from  those  starry  heavens,  over  these  shepherds'  heads, 
a  brighter  glory  and  a  sweeter  song  than  David  sung,  the  words  of 
which  were  to  fill  the  world  with  hope  and  joy  for  centuries  to  come. 
How  unsuspected  and  near  are  the  great  mercies  of  God  to  us  !  How 
suddenly  do  the  most  momentous  events  in  God's  great  plan  of  re- 
demption burst  upon  our  vision  and  our  hearts  ! 

1.— The  Angel  of  the  Lord. — Lying  upon  the  ground,  it  may  be 
looking  up  into  the  star-lit  heavens,  possibly  at  that  very  moment 
thinking  of  David's  psalm,  or  maybe  crouching  under  the  shelter 
of  some  rock  on  that  wintry  December  night,  these  shepherds  were 
suddenly  surprised  by  the  appearance  of  a  glorious  being  which 
"  came  upon  them."  It  was  the  Angel  of  the  Lord.  Perhaps  Gabriel, 
who  had,  nine  months  before,  appeared  to  Mary  and  announced  to  her 
that  she  was  to  be  the  mother  of  the  Lord.  He  came  upon  them  as 
the  burning  bush  in  the  wilderness  suddenly  appeared  to  the  aston- 
ished eyes  of  Moses;  as  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  to  Gideon 
while  beating  out  the  corn  behind  the  barn  in  the  days  when  the 
Philistines  reigned  and  tyrannized  in  the  land ;  as  the  same  glorious 
Angel  appeared  to  Manoah,  the  father  of  Samson.  At  the  samo 
time,  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shone  about  them,  outrivaling  the  splen- 
dors of  that  glorious  winter  night ;  a  glory  that  put  out  the  throbbing 
light  of  the  stars,  and  made  the  moon  to  be  lost  in  a  light  more 
beautiful  than  her  own.  No  wonder  they  were  afraid.  Man  always 
is  afraid  in  the  presence  of  the  supernatural.  Moses  was  afraid 
when  God  spoke  to  him  out  of  the  Burning  Bush.  Manoah  was 
afraid  before  the  Angel  that  appeared  to  him ;  Jacob,  before  him, 


412      THE   BIRTH    OF   CHRIST:   A    CHRISTMAS    LESSON. 

had  been  filled  with  awe,  even  at  the  vision  of  the  ascending  and 
descending  angels ;  Isaiah  was  afraid,  and  thought  himself  undone 
because  he  had  seen  the  Lord.  And  well  may  sinful  man  be  afraid 
to  "look  upon  God,"  or  even  upon  the  face  of  an  angel  sent  from 
God,  until  he  hears  the  assuring  word  of  love  and  grace  which  God 
always  sends  to  him  when  he  appears  in  revelation,  either  by  word 
or  angel  or  adumbration  of  his  gracious  glory. 

2. — The  Angel's  announcement. — The  first  word  of  the  Angel  was 
to  allay  their  fears.  "Fear  not."  How  that  simple  sentence  has 
had  to  come  again  and  again  to  quiet  the  terror  of  sinful  man's 
stricken  conscience  !  It  was  often  even  on  the  lips  of  Jesus,  when 
some  sudden  manifestation  or  revelation  of  his  glory  appeared  to 
the  eye,  or  to  the  faith  of  his  disciples.  Sin  has  made  us  afraid  of 
God,  but  grace  allays  those  fears.  Listen  to  the  fear-allaying  words 
of  the  angels:  "Behold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy." 
How  wonderful  that  these  good  tidings  should  have  been  brought 
first  to  these  lowly  shepherds  !  Why  were  they  not  first  communi- 
cated to  the  king  in  his  palace,  or  at  least  to  the  High  Priest  of  the 
nation?  For  the  simple  reason  that  neither  of  these  great  dignita- 
ries was  ready  to  receive  Christ ;  and  besides,  God's  grace  is  always 
first  revealed  to  the  poor  and  the  lowly.  It  is  much  easier  for  the 
great  and  the  rich  to  receive  a  Saviour  who  first  comes  to  the  poor 
and  the  lowly,  than  it  would  be  for  these  lowly  poor  to  persuade 
themselves  that  they  had  the  right  of  grace  to  approach  the  Saviour 
who  had  first  come  to  the  rich.  But  grace  always  first  comes  to,  and 
finds  a  welcome  among,  the  poor.  It  must  have  thrilled  the  hearts 
of  these  poor  shepherds  to  hear  these  words:  "Behold,  I  bring  you 
glad  tidings."  And  yet,  let  not  the  poor  rejoice  over  the  rich,  or 
the  lowly  over  the  great  in  this  world,  for  God  is  no  respecter  of  per- 
sons. And  let  not  those  to  whom  special  privileges  of  grace  and 
glory  are  manifested  first,  rejoice  over  others  who  have  not  been  so 
highly  favored.  The  Angel  reminded  them  that  the  "glad  tidings 
of  great  joy  shall  be  unto  all  people."  Even  so  the  apostles,  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  declared  :  "  For  the  promise  is  unto  you  and  to 
your  children,  and  to  all  them  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the 
Lord  our  God  shall  call."  No  man,  no  set  of  men,  no  class,  no  con- 
dition, and  no  race  or  tribe  of  men,  have  any  exclusive  right  to  the 
grace  of  God  as  that  grace  is  revealed  in  the  Saviour  of  all  men.  In 
Jesus  Christ,  the  "  grace  of  God  hath  appeared  unto  all  men  " ;  or,  if 
you  like  the  rendering  better  :  "  The  grace  of  God  unto  all  men  hath 
appeared."  Then  followed  the  substance  and  explanation  of  these 
glad  tidings  :  "For  unto  you  is  born  this  day,  in  the  city  of  David, 
a  Saviour,    which   is   Christ    the   Lord."     Was   this   news — this   an- 


THE   HAPPY    (SHEPHEKDS.  413 

nouncement — incredible  to  those  simple-minded  men?  They  shall 
have  every  doubt  satisfied.  God  does  not  ask  us  to  believe  his  good 
news  blindly,  and  without  evidence  of  its  truthfulness.  Therefore 
said  the  Angel  to  them  :  "And  this  shall  be  a  sign  unto  you  ;  ye  shall 
find  a  babe  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes,  and  lying  in  a  manger." 
A  most  strange  place,  indeed,  to  find  a  Saviour,  and  most  lowly  con- 
ditions, indeed,  in  which  he  should  be  revealed  to  them.  "In  a 
manger."  "  Wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes."  How  the  proud  world 
misses  the  Christ !  They  overlook  him.  They  are  searching  for 
him  in  cathedrals,  in  theologies,  in  the  regions  of  "  the  higher  crit- 
icism." The  Jews  sought  for  him  in  their  voluminous  interpreta- 
tions, and  in  their  elaborate  symbolisms.  The  Greeks  seek  for  him 
in  philosophical  speculations,  the  Jews  seek  for  him  in  extraordinary 
signs  and  wonders,  the  modern  scientific  Jew,  in  scientific  demon- 
stration ;  but  the  real  and  simple-minded  inquirer  is  sent  to  the  lowly 
manger  to  find  him  wrapped  about  in  the  swaddling  clothes  of  our 
poor  humanity,  with  a  marred  face,  and  a  broken  heart,  and  a  bleed- 
ing and  crucified  body.  After  delivering  his  message,  there  was 
suddenly  present  "  with  the  angel  a  multitude  of  the  heavenly  hosts, 
praising  God  and  saying :  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on 
earth,  peace,  good- will  to  men."  Contrast  this  scene  with  what  was 
probably  going  on  in  the  splendid  palace  of  Herod  the  Great,  not 
a  dozen  miles^ away,  where  there  was  reveling  and  dancing,  and  all 
the  dissipations  and  excitements  of  a  world's  high  festival.  These 
contrasts  are  still  present  in  the  world.  While  some  are  surfeiting 
themselves  with  that  which  cannot  satisfy,  and  holding  others  in 
contempt,  all  who  are  not  in  their  circle,  God  is  revealing  to  them 
his  salvation,  surrounding  them  with  a  glory  and  filling  their  hearts 
with  a  song  not  visible  to  mere  carnal  eyes,  or  vocal  to  carnal  ears. 
He  who  hath  eyes  to  see,  may  always  see  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  who  hath  ears  to  hear,  may  always  hear 
"  the  joyful  sound  "  of  God's  peace  and  good- will.  Happy  shepherds  ! 
Happy  sinners  who  also  have  seen  and  heard  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  music  of  heaven  always  ready  to  burst  upon  the  souls  of  them 
who  are  seeking  after  him  ! 

II.— THE    HAPPY    SHEPHERDS. 

As  suddenly  as  the  Angel  appeared  to  them,  and  the  multitudi- 
nous company  of  singing  companions,  and  the  glory  of  God  shining 
about  them,  these  all  disappeared  and  left  the  shepherds  alone  again 
under  the  shining  stars.  Was  il  a  dream.'  Was  it  a  mysterious 
hallucination.'     Or  was  it  a  blessed  reality?     How  often  we  question 


414      THE   BIRTH    OF   CHRIST:   A   CHRISTMAS   LESSON. 

our  experiences  and  wonder  at  the  revelation  which  God  makes  of 
himself  to  our  souls  !  Let  us  glance  just  a  moment  upon  these  won- 
dering shepherds  and  note  the  effect  which  the  vision  of  angels  and 
the  announcement  of  the  Saviour's  birth  and  the  song  of  peace  and 
good-will  had  upon  them. 

1. — They  believed  the  announcement. — Speaking  one  to  an- 
other, they  proposed  that  they  should  go  at  once  "to  see  this  thing 
which  is  come  to  pass."  They  did  not  doubt  for  a  moment,  nor  ask 
each  other  what  they  thought  of  it  all.  God  has  told  us  this  same 
thing,  but  how  men  hesitate  to  believe,  and  debate  the  possibilities 
of  such  things  being  true,  and  so  fall  into  fixed  unbelief  !  They  did 
not  say,  "Let  us  go  and  see  if  this  thing  is  come  to  pass."  It  is  that 
unbelieving  "  if "  which  hinders  so  many  souls,  really  longing  for 
Christ,  from  finding  him. 

2. — They  acted  upon  their  faith. — They  were  not  content  with 
believing  the  word  of  the  Angel,  but  determined  at  once  to  go  and 
find  the  Christ,  the  Saviour,  who  was  born  that  night  in  Bethlehem. 
They  did  not  content  themselves  with  saying  one  to  another,  "I  be- 
lieve it  is  all  true  which  the  angel  has  told  us,  and  it  is  a  very  good 
thing  for  the  world  that  Christ  has  come.  It  is  not  necessary  for  us 
to  go  and  find  him,  but  it  is  quite  sufficient  for  us  to  believe  that  he 
has  come."  Is  not  this  what  many  are  doing  to-day?  Contenting 
themselves  with  saying  that  they  believe  the  Gospel  to  be  true  ;  but 
never  act  upon  the  good  news ;  never  seek  to  find  the  Saviour  of 
which  they  have  been  told.  Moreover,  these  shepherds  did  not  put 
off  their  journey  to  Bethlehem  and  the  manger  till  the  next  week,  or 
till  the  next  day,  or  even  till  the  dawning  of  the  day ;  but  said  one  to 
another  :  "Let  us  now  go."  How  many  miss  finding  the  Saviour  be- 
cause they  do  not  at  once  act  upon  the  convictions  which  the  Holy 
Spirit  works  in  their  hearts  !  "At  a  more  convenient  season,  I  will 
call  for  thee,"  has  cost  many  a  man  and  woman  their  souls.  "To- 
day, if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts." 

3. — They  came  and  found.- — Having  determined  to  go  at  once 
to  see  the  thing  which  "is  come  to  pass,"  they  did  not  delay  acting 
upon  their  determination.  Like  the  prodigal,  who  first  said,  "  I  will 
arise  and  go  to  my  father,"  and  then  forthwith  arose  and  went,  so 
these  shepherds  "came  with  haste."  They  at  least  would  lose  no 
time.  They  did  not  stop  to  consider  what  might  become  of  their 
sheep.  What  are  sheep  in  comparison  with  a  Saviour?  Yet  how 
many  tarry  and  parley  and  postpone  coming  because  of  their  "  sheep," 
or  their  " merchandise, "  or  their  "oxen,"  or  their  "farms,"  or  their 
domestic  and  social  concerns.  Be  sure  that  this  is  no  way  to  find 
Christ.     If  we  find  him,  we  must   arise  at  onee,  and  come  in  haste. 


THE   HAPPY   SHEPHEKDS.  415 

Then  the  record  adds  :  "  and  found  Mary  and  Joseph,  and  the  Babe 
lying  in  the  manger."  Happy  shepherds!  The  first  sinners  in  this 
world  who  came  and  found  the  Saviour ;  for  they  were  in  advance  of 
the  Magi,  who  came  after  Mary  and  the  Child  Jesus  had  been  re- 
moved from  the  stable  into  "the  house."     (Matt,  ii,  11.) 

4. — They  spread  the  news  abroad. — Not  content  with  having 
heard  of  the  advent  of  Christ,  and  having  themselves  seen  him,  they 
made  haste  to  tell  to  others  "what  a  Saviour  they  had  found." 
Every  man  and  woman  who  finds  Christ  is  debtor  to  every  other  man 
and  woman  in  the  world  to  tell  them  of  Christ,  and  faithfully  report- 
ing all  they  have  seen  and  heard  and  known,  seek  to  lead  them  to  a 
knowledge  of  him.  They  were  neither  afraid  nor  ashamed  of  what 
they  had  seen  and  heard  and  done.  It  is  true  that,  while  some  will 
believe  our  report,  others  will  only  wonder  at  it,  and  perhaps  more 
will  scoff ;  but  that  is  of  no  concern  to  the  true  believer,  who  J:  no  as 
what  he  Litotes.  What  does  it  matter  to  you  and  me,  who  have 
"known  and  believed  the  love  that  God  hath  toward  us,"  that  others 
do  not  believe?  What  does  it  matter,  though  we  are  or  may  be 
called  fools  and  fanatics?  What  if  we  cannot  prove  beyond  our  own 
testimony  that  we  have  seen  a  vision  of  angels,  and  heard  the  music 
of  heaven?  Paul  told  three  times  the  story  of  his  conversion. 
Whether  others  could  back  up  his  story  or  not,  he  knew  it  was  true, 
and  his  subsequent  life  proved  that  he  was  not  deceived.  Peter  said 
to  the  rulers  who  had  forbidden  him  and  John  to  preach  any  more  in 
the  name  of  Jesus  :  "  We  cannot  but  testify  the  things  which  we  have 
seen  and  heard."    So  let  us  tell  the  story  of  how  we  found  the  Christ. 

5. — They  return  to  their  flock. — "And  the  shepherds  returned 
glorifying  and  praising  God  for  all  the  things  that  they  had  heard 
and  seen,  as  it  was  told  unto  them."  Finding  Christ  does  not  take 
us  away  from  our  legitimate  callings  in  life.  It  is  true  that,  for  a 
little  while,  they  left  their  sheep  in  the  field  to  go  and  find  the 
Saviour,  but  they  returned  again  to  their  work,  with  glad  and  happy 
hearts.  The  common  work  of  this  life  can  be  much  better  done  after 
having  found  Christ  than  before.  How  blessed  it  is  that  we  can  re- 
sume what  is  called  our  secular  work,  after  conversion,  "praising 
and  glorifying  God." 

"But  Mary  kept  all  these  things,  and  pondered  them  in  her 
heart."  The  holy  reticence  of  motherhood  was  upon  her,  and  the 
mysterious  secret  of  the  Child's  origin  was  with  her  day  and  night. 
It  was  not  for  her  to  tell  abroad  her  secrets,  but  she  hid  them  deeply 
in  her  mother's  heart.  Yet  Mary  was  not  without  voice  and  speech, 
and  her  magnificent  song  of  praise  (i,  46-55)  is  sufficient  testimony 
to  her  faith. 


I!.— THE  QUARTERLY  TEMPERANCE  LESSON.— Romans 
xiv,    12-23. 

(12)  So  then  every  one  of  us  shall  give  account  of  himself  to  God.  (13)  Let  us 
not  therefore  judge  one  another  any  more:  but  judge  this  rather,  that  no  man  put  a 
stumblingblock  or  an  occasion  to  fall  in  his  brother's  way.  (14)  I  know,  and  am 
persuaded  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  there  is  nothing  unclean  of  itself:  but  to  him  that 
esteemeth  any  thing  to  be  unclean,  to  him  it  is  unclean.  (15)  But  if  thy  brother  be 
grieved  with  thy  meat,  now  walkest  thou  not  charitably.  Destroy  not  him  with  thy 
meat,  for  whom  Christ  died.  (16)  Let  not  then  your  good  be  evil  spoken  of:  (17)  For 
the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink;  but  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in 
the  Holy  Ghost.  (18)  For  he  that  in  these  things  serve th  Christ  is  acceptable  to  God, 
and  approved  of  men.  (16)  Let  us  therefore  follow  after  the  things  which  make  for 
peace,  and  things  wherewith  one  may  edify  another.  (29)  For  meat  destroy  not  the 
work  of  God.  All  things  indeed  are  pure;  but  it  is  evil  for  that  man  who  eateth  with 
offence.  (21)  It  is  good  neither  to  eat  flesh,  nor  to  drink  wine,  nor  any  thing  whereby 
thy  brother  stumbleth,  or  is  offended,  or  is  made  weak.  (22)  Hast  thou  faith?  have 
it  to  thyself  before  God.  Happy  is  he  that  condemneth  not  himself  in  that  thing 
which  he  alloweth.  (23)  And  he  that  doubteth  is  damned  if  he  eat,  because  he 
eateth  not  of  faith:  for  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin.— Romans  xiv,  12-23. 


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